thyssenkrupp Presta France wants to "get ahead of the game"
In Florange, steering column manufacturer thyssenkrupp Presta France is to benefit from a €800 000 package as part of the France recovery plan. General Manager Philippe Wernoth and Industrial Director Emmanuel Nerkowski talk about upcoming investments.
At the Florange site, €20 M has been invested in the " speed factory ", two high-speed production lines that output three million steering columns a year. Photo RL /Armand FLOHR
How will the €800 000 granted by the French government as part of the France relance plan be invested?
" This aid will enable us to support investment projects amounting to €2.7 M over the next two years. The sum allocated will be invested in digitizing our processes and modernizing our industrial park. "
Concretely, what are we talking about ?
" We're talking here about automating our internal means of transport or our logistics, such as the implementation of automated forklifts on part of the Florange site. Within two years, they will be operational on our two high-speed production lines (speed factory), enabling us to bring components to workstations and evacuate them. We also intend to work on artificial intelligence to improve our processes. The aim is to better anticipate breakdowns or quality problems and, ultimately, to be more reliable. The other aspect concerns the security of the IT system, with standards that are constantly evolving. Vehicles carry more and more software and electronics. As a result, manufacturers are demanding greater security on these systems. "
How will this aid affect your business ?
" Above all, it's going to help us get up to the level expected by our customers more quickly. These investments were planned , but, clearly, France relance and its support component for the automotive sector has been a gas pedal and a facilitator. It's going to give us a head start on our foreign competitors. "
What impact will automation have on employment ?
" In our view, there is no opposition between automation and employment. Automation serves man and for man, to develop our sales and have positive spin-offs. The projects we're working on include new means of production, which will create between 30 and 50 new jobs in the long term, provided, of course, that there is no drop in market demand. Certain profiles, such as maintenance technicians, are in high demand.