PSA in the Ardennes: mastering foundry industry

The Charleville-Mézières foundry is the leading private sector employee within the Champagne-Ardenne region, and produces raw parts intended for the machining or assembly units operated by PSA PEUGEOT CITROËN

The world-class french car manufacturer sold more than 2.9 million vehicles worldwide in 2014, of which 42% were sold outside of Europe. It has generated turnover of 53.6 million € and employs more than 180,000 people.

Established in 1974, the Charleville-Mézières foundry is the leading private sector employee within the Champagne-Ardenne region, and produces raw parts intended for the machining or assembly units operated by PSA PEUGEOT CITROËN.

Every day, 145 tons of cast-iron parts (steering pins, side rails, supporting beams, suspension arms, differential housings) and 129 tons of aluminium alloy parts (cylinder heads, floor elements, engine mounts) are produced at the Ardennes site. Thanks to its human skills and technical capabilities, the foundry produces pioneering parts, which complement the traditional safety components made from spheroidal graphite cast iron and the aluminium cylinder heads for the HDI engine, for which the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group is renowned. Furthermore, more than 95% of the vehicles produced by the group have at least one part that originates from Charleville-Mézières.

Furthermore, the site developed a new process (“Procédé à Modèle Perdu”, PMP) for the production of cylinder heads, within the scope of an agreement between PSA Peugeot Citroën and BMW Group, with a view to developing and producing together a new family of engines.

The Ardennes unit of PSA has built its development on the expertise of its employees (around 1,700 people) by placing human at the center of its production system, in accordance with the principles of lean manufacturing. The factory has also emphasized the management of health and safety risks, and the protection of the environment. As a result, the Charleville-Mézières factory has managed to achieve industrial excellence, while increasing its contribution to the growth of the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group.

 

www.charleville.psa.fr

By Ardennes Développement, the Ardennes economic development agency - ardennes-developpement.com