Volvo increases the capacity of its Swedish plant of Gothenburg

The manufacturer Volvo Cars (subsidiary of Chinese company Geely) has now two plants, one in Belgium (Ghent) and one in Sweden (Gothenburg). The manufacturer has decided to increase the production capacity of its plant in Gothenburg, from 250 000 to 300 000 vehicles per year.

In 2013, the company produced 161 335 vehicles (V60, V70, XC70, S80, XC90), against 180 802 in 2012, which represents only a 65% utilization rate, but the carmaker believes that with the arrival of new models planned for 2015 on its SPA modular platform (future XC90, XC70, V70 and S80), the demand for these models is expected to increase substantially compared to current generations.

Volvo will therefore increase its production capacity in Gothenburg as the carmaker plans to replace in the same year four models that are currently produced on site, they will be marketed in Europe, North America and China, in its three major markets.

Volvo also believes it can benefit from the growth of global demand concerning premium brands, a category the Swedish carmaker is positioned on. Today, Volvo is the world's fifth largest premium brand behind BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Lexus.


14-16-1  

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The evolution segment by segment of the European car market (17 countries)

The European car market 17 countries experienced a decline of 2% in 2013 compared to 2012, a smaller decline in 2012 compared to 2011. Since 2007 this market has decreased by 22%.


When analysing the evolution of the European market segment by segment between 2000 and 2013, we can see that the volume of each and every segment has declined, but segment D declined more than others (-41.7%). Only segment F maintained its levels between 2000 and 2013 (stable). Segments C and B , however, only declined slightly and remain well ahead of other segments.


C and B segments have increased their penetration rate between 2000 and 2013 (from 34.7% to 38.8% for segment C and from 25.8% to 30.5% for segment B). Segments D and E saw a decrease in their market share (from 18.9% to 13.3% for segment D and from 10.4% to 7.4% for segment E). The segments A and F remained quite stable (from 9.6% to 9.3% for segment A and from 0.6% to 0.7% for segment F).


To sum up, the gap between segments B-C and segments A-D-E-F increased significantly between 2000 and 2013. Besides known factors (rate of use, congestion, purchase prices ...), diversification of bodies (essentially MPV and SUV / Crossover) has probably enhanced the attractiveness of vehicles from segments B and C.


14-16-2  

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Japan is the country that controls the most worldwide production

Automotive analyses often show production by country (where the plants are established) or by manufacturers. However, an important data isn't highlighted enough: which countries control these carmakers. Inovev incorporates this notion in its production databases. Thus the Renault-Nissan group is considered under the control of France and the Fiat-Chrysler group under the control of Italy.


While analysis of global automobile production by producing countries shows that China is in first position ahead of the USA, Japan, Germany, Korea, India and Brazil, the analysis of control countries shows a very different vision of the global automotive industry and forces.


In which case in 2013 Japan is the country that controls the most production in the world. The overall trend shows that global production is controlled by 8 countries. Developed countries and historical automobile players (Japan, USA, Germany ..) control much more production outside their own country. The developing countries (China, India) control very little of world production but still have automakers. Finally, the majority of other countries do not control any manufacturers but are major production sites (Brazil, Mexico, Thailand ...).

 

For some countries, the contrast is striking. Thus, France, the thirteenth largest producer is the fourth global player through the control of manufacturers, thanks to Renault-Nissan and PSA.


14-15-10  

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Mexico has become a significant export base for Japanese manufacturers

Mexico, eighth world car producer in 2013, just behind Korea (5th), India (6) and Brazil (7th) has always been a export base for U.S. carmakers (GM, Ford Chrysler) and Volkswagen, but this Latin American country is now becoming a significant export base for Japanese manufacturers for small cars (marketed for both North and South America).

In 2005, the production proportion of Japanese manufacturers in the Mexican automobile production represented 25%. It increased to 27% in 2013 and should soon exceed 30% due to the increased capacity of Nissan (700 000 to 900 000 units), Honda (100 000 to 300 000 units) and Mazda (0 to 140 000 units).

The capacity of all the Japanese manufacturers in Mexico will therefore go from 900 000 units in 2013 to 1 440 000 in 2014, representing an increase of 60%. This means that the Japanese believe in the potential of the Mexican market, but also and especially in the potential of North and South America whose registrations reached 25 million vehicles in 2013, against 23 million in 2005, 4 times more than in Japan.

Mexico will become a hub from where vehicles will leave towards the two regions of this continent. Thus, this country could exceed a production volume of 3.5 million units from 2015 to 2016.


14-15-9  

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The Renault plant in Tangier has reached 50% of the production volume of the Pitesti plant

The Renault plant in Tangier (Morocco), which began operations in February 2012, reached in the first quarter of 2014  50% of the production volume of the Pitesti plant (Romania). The Tangier plant produced 45 000 vehicles in 2012, 100 000 in 2013 and 44 000 in the first quarter of 2014. The Pitesti plant produced 89 000 vehicles in the first quarter of 2014.


According to Inovev, the Renault plant in Tangier is expected to double its production volume in 2014 compared to 2013, to 190 000 vehicles. Its capacity should be increased by 50% in 2014, from 170 000 vehicles a year to 250 000. By 2018, the Moroccan site should produce up to 250 000 units while the Pitesti plant will produce 355 000 units.


The most striking result of this evolution is the gradual transfer of the Dacia Sandero from the Pitesti plant to the plant in Tangier and this since September 2013. The Sandero is currently exported throughout Europe.


The Romanian Dacia plant having reached saturation with the production of the Logan and the Duster (265 000 planned in 2014, against 223 000 in 2013, excluding CKD), the transfer of the Sandero to Morocco is an attractive option given the currently underutilized capacity of the Tangier plant.


On the graph below, we can clearly see how in several months the pace of the transfer of the Sandero from Pitesti to Tangier, leaving extra capacity so that the Pitesti plant can focus on the Logan and Duster.


14-15-8  

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