- The management of PSA Peugeot Citroën has officially announced that the Aulnay-sous-Bois plant will permanently close in 2014, it will cease to produce some cars (Citroen C3) by the end of October 2013 due to lack of manpower since many redundant employees have already left the factory.

- The production of spare parts will ensure the maintaining of the activity for the next few months.

- Let us recall thatthe manufacturer had in recent years gradually transferred the production of the Citroën C3 from Aulnay to Poissy, where are produced the Citroën DS3 and Peugeot 208.

- From November, the Citroën C3 will no longer be produced at Poissy, a plant whose origins date back from 1939, while the Aulnay plant dates back from 1973.

- The closure of the Aulnay plant will allow PSA to offload significant overcapacity while the European market is struggling to rise (it will probably take 5-6 years for the European market recover completely). The PSA plants in Europe are currently operating at 55% capacity. With the closure of the factory in Aulnay, the rate goes back to 60%.

- The European passenger car market (27 countries) is down by 6.5% in the first half of 2013 compared to the first half of 2012, the month of June 2013 is in line with the previous month with a decrease of 6.3%. Some countries suffer more than others, mainly the Netherlands (-36,3%) due to the end of the tax exemption on the purchase of new cars since the 1st January, but also Ireland (-19 6%), Finland (-15.5%), Switzerland (-11.8%), France (-11.3%), Italy (-10.2%), Sweden (- 9.6%) and Germany (-8.1%).

- Britain (+10.0%) is the only country to experience a double-digit growth, thanks to significant price reductions practiced among manufacturers. Good news for, Greece, Spain and Portugal that seem to see the end of the collapse of their markets, these countries have actually reversed the trend for several weeks now with a gradual return of confidence among buyers.

- Overall, it will probably be 2019 before the European market recovers fully, even if the decline in sales should stop at the second half of 2013. Inovev provides that the European market has reached its lowest point in 2013 and sales are expected to rise again in 2014. But it is uncertain that the market will reach the record 2007 levels before the end of the decade.

Data source: File #101 - Worldwide production detailed by models  

Data source: File #101 - Worldwide production detailed by models