Heuliez bases his hopes on his electric cars
Patrick Devedjian yesterday visited the site of the automotive supplier taken over by Bernard Krief Consultants.
Heuliez, barometer of recovery? For his return to politics, Patrick Devedjian chose yesterday to visit the employees of the automotive supplier in Cerizay, in Deux-Sèvres. A whole symbol. The day after the resumption of activity at the factory - and in the presence of the President of the Poitou-Charentes Region, Ségolène Royal -, the Minister in charge of the implementation of the recovery plan came to ensure the smooth running of its proactive policy.
Since its acquisition by Bernard Krief Consultants (BKC) on July 8, Heuliez has changed its face. On the verge of bankruptcy since 2007, the company is one of the flagship files of industrial France in the crisis. Supported by the Poitou-Charentes Region and the State, BKC has cut costs. Of the 1 jobs existing last June, 000 have been preserved, including 606 who will actually go on training. "Depending on the activity, we plan to re-hire a hundred employees per year for three years," said Louis Petiet, president of BKC. Everything will now depend on the order book. "
On this side, nothing is guaranteed. Even if Ségolène Royal has announced that the communities of the Region will set an example by ordering 500 Pelican petrol vehicles, which will benefit from 4 euros in subsidies from the Region and Ademe, everything will depend on the recovery of the activity. However, the last productions of Tigra for Opel will be completed next week. From September, a large part of the staff will therefore be on partial unemployment, alternating work and training as needed. Heuliez is banking on its Étoile model but above all on the Friendly electric vehicle, the marketing of which was officially launched yesterday for a production start scheduled for April 000.
" Political will "
Patrick Devedjian was pleased that Heuliez was saved "by political will, as Alstom has been in the past", but the minister did not fail to add that the future of the company rests on BKC's industrial project. The financing plan (51 million euros in equity and 60 million lines of financing provided by BKC partners) in any case ensures the recovery phase. Cautious, the consulting company expects a turnover of 90 million euros in the first year, for a guaranteed breakeven point of 50 million. But it is targeting 300 million euros within three years.
Alexandre Standing
Curb the news source