smart production maxxed out

[MikeT 747]

From LesEchos.fr:

Smart accélère la cadence pour répondre à la demande

[ 07/11/08 - 08H05 - actualisé à 08:29:00 ]

L'attrait des modèles économes en carburant et le lancement de la Fortwo sur le marché américain redonnent le sourire aux salariés de l'usine de Hambach en Lorraine. Le site devrait produire 138.000 voitures en 2008 et presque autant l'an prochain.

Dans l'usine Smart de Hambach, l'ouvrier est affairé mais l'ambiance détendue : loin de la grise mine sévissant dans nombre d'entreprises automobiles, la filiale de Mercedes dispose d'un carnet de commandes bien garni. Le climat social est au beau fixe.

L'introduction de la citadine début 2008 aux Etats-Unis a accouché de résultats inespérés. Depuis janvier, plus de 20.000 "fortwo" - la nouvelle petite Smart vendue depuis un an - y ont été vendues, dont environ 2.250 en octobre, quand la marque a établi son record de ventes mensuelles. "On reçoit des courriers de clients américains nous disant qu'ils ont remplacé leur gros pick-up par deux Smart", sourit Marcus Nicolai, président de Smart France, interrogé par l'AFP.

Peu gourmande en essence, la Fortwo s'intègre d'après M. Nicolai parfaitement au marché américain, rapidement devenu le troisième plus gros de la marque, dans un contexte de "changement" marqué par une prise de conscience écologique et l'augmentation du prix du pétrole. L'impact sur la production est saisissant. Alors que 102.000 véhicules avaient été produits à Hambach en 2007, ce total était atteint dès septembre 2008, selon la direction. L'objectif de 127.000 voitures pour cette année a été rallongé de 11.000 unités, 28% du tout étant exporté aux Etats-Unis, de source syndicale.

"Le succès du marché américain fait partie de la nouvelle euphorie de la marque", se réjouit Marcus Nicolai. Les commandes affluent tellement que la production envisagée pour 2009 (135.500) a déjà été revue à la hausse de 3.500 automobiles, selon une autre source syndicale. Pour parvenir à ces résultats, un accord d'entreprise a été signé mercredi avec les cinq syndicats présents à Hambach, aux mots d'ordre éloquents: "qualité, conditions de travail, productivité", rapporte M. Nicolai.

Les chaînes de montage automatisées de Smart, où des ouvriers assemblent morceau par morceau la fortwo dans une ambiance étonnamment peu bruyante - la musique diffusée est audible la plupart du temps, a constaté un journaliste de l'AFP - seront accélérées, pour que plus de voitures soient produites en autant de temps. Chaque "coéquipier" devra consacrer 1 minute et 25 secondes à chaque auto, contre 1'28 aujourd'hui, avec "une dizaine de secondes pour souffler", explique Abdelhamid Ghermi, délégué syndical CGT. En contrepartie, les 828 salariés de Smart ne travailleront pas de nuit ni le dimanche, parfois le samedi, et gagneront 3,6% de plus, soit 70 euros supplémentaires au minimum, poursuit-il.

"C'est la troisième augmentation en deux ans. Dorénavant, chaque ouvrier de Smart gagne au moins 1.500 euros brut", souligne M. Ghermi. La direction s'est en outre engagée à embaucher 10 à 15 personnes les années suivantes, dit-il, quand 22 intérimaires ont déjà été intégrés en 2008.

Alors que "tous les voyants sont au vert", d'après Marcus Nicolai, Smart prévoit en outre de s'implanter en Chine et au Brésil dès 2009. Le chômage technique, en vogue dans de nombreuses automobiles hexagonales, est plus éloigné que jamais d'Hambach. "On a beaucoup de chance", convient Abdelhamid Ghermi. "Et si ça va bien chez nous, ça va aussi bien chez nos sous-traitants", au nombre d'un millier sur le site mosellan, rappelle le délégué CGT.

original source

I will translate this in the evening when I have some time.

[Nextourer 1]

Good read... a few places were difficult for me to understand but otherwise s'not too bad.

[MikeT 747]

Mike T translation:

smart accelerates the rate of production to respond to demand

The attraction of economical automobiles and the launch of the fortwo in the US market have given a smile to the employees of the Hambach factory in Lorraine. The factory must produce 138,000 cars in 2008 and virtually the same number next year.

In smart's Hambach factory, the workers are focused but the ambiance is pleasant: far from the bad times squeezing other automakers, the Mercedes Division has an order book that is overflowing. Things are going well.

The introduction of the urban car to the USA at the start of 2008 has brought results beyond expectations. Since January, more than 20,000 fortwos - the new small smart on sale for just over a year - have been sold there, of which 2250 sales were in October, when the marque set its monthly sales record. "We receive letters from American customers who tell us that they have replaced their huge pick-up with two smarts" said Marcus Nicolai, President of smart France, interviewed by Agence France Presse.

A light drinker of gasoline, the fortwo has integrated perfectly into the USA, which quickly became the car's third largest market, amidst change that includes an increased ecological focus and rising fuel prices. The impact on production is significant. Although 102,000 vehicles were produced in Hambach during 2007, this figure was exceeded in September of 2008, according to management. The 2008 production target of 127,000 vehicles was extended by an additional 11,000, 28% of which will be exported to the USA, according to trade union sources.

"The success in the US market is part of the new euphoria surrounding the smart marque", rejoiced Marcus Nicolai. The orders are flooding in so quickly that the production planned for 2009 (135,500 units) has already been revised upwards by an additional 3500 units, according to another trade union source. In order to share in these favourable results, a business deal was signed last Wednesday with the five labour unions represented at Hambach, with the following eloquent terms: quality, working conditions and productivity" reported Mr. Nicolai.

The smart's automated assembly line, where workers assemble the fortwo piece by piece in a surprisingly quiet environment - music is played and is audible most of the time, noted an Agence France Presse journalist - will be accelerated, so that more cars can be produced in the same amount of time. Each team member will have 1 minute and 25 seconds to devote to each car, compared to the 1 minute 28 seconds that is given for the same task today, with "ten or so seconds to relax", explains Abdelhamid Ghermi, a representative of the CGT trade union. On the other hand, the 828 employees of smart do not work on evenings or Sundays, occasionally on Saturday, and they are making 3.6% more money, which is 70 more Euros minimum, he said (about 1950 Euros a month minimum).

"It is the third wage increase in two years. Previously, each smart worker made a gross of at least 1500 Euros (per month)", underlined Mr. Ghermi. Management is otherwise engaged in seeking an additional 10 to 15 persons in the coming year, he said, and 22 temporary staff had already been hired during 2008.

All "the lights are green" according to Marcus Nicolai, smart plans - among other things - to enter the Chinese and Brazilian markets beginning in 2009. Layoffs, which are becoming more common at other French automobile factories, are further aaway than ever at Hambach. "We have been very lucky" admits Abdelhamid Ghermi. "And if it is going this well at smart, it is also going well at our suppliers", whose employees number about 1000 at the Moselle site (Hambach), said the CGT representative.

Edited November 11, 2008 by Mike T

[Duck 16]

It really is the best production facility I've ever visited, without question, and I've been to probably 50 or so plants in my life (both through factory tours and ~9 years working in automation). Thank you very much for the translation Mike!!-Iain

Edited November 11, 2008 by Duck

[yolanda 0]

Boy it's nice to know that something I've bought actually took care of the manufacturing workers. So much of the stuff I have came from places I don't like to think about. When I peel my mandarins with their wrappings of paper I always wonder about the woman who wrapped and packed each little fruit.

[MikeT 747]

To be honest, even the new rate of about 1950 Euros a month seems a bit lean; mind you that is a starting wage.Trivia: the CGT is a communist trade union going WAY back!

[smartzuuk 167]

Glad I could take part in something worth celebrating - a car manufacturer doing well. The gas model we own has been quite surprising, and I can see us upgrading in the future. Perhaps a Brabus cabriolet

[Albertaaw 6]

Thank you for posting that information, Mike. I agree with all of you. It is great that our car's manufacturing company does well. I am happy about that. I just wish that the North American manufacturers would also do something positive in the realm of economical cars. It would be beneficial to Canadian auto plant workers and related manufacturers, as well as those in the US. I am sad about this situation. I worry about the workers in those plants. And, I sometimes feel guilty that I've not bought an American or Canadian manufactured car in many years.--- Alberta

[Duck 16]

Problem is that it's very difficult to make profit on a small, economical car. The tooling costs for building a whole new line are not proportionally less than a luxury car, so the margins narrow. smart gets around this by selling the brand as upmarket or premium.I think one of my favourite things about Hambach/smartville was the skylights. The natural lighting in that plant is incredible. So many places are dungeons with no windows and those sodium-vapour lamps. Really makes you feel like you're in a dirty prison.-Iain