This year the grant that provide MPM will reach EUR 151 million 275 billion of writedowns in the fourth quarterFinally it must be temporary which is often ignoredThe opinion of the central bankers reassure notAdmittedly at first it is a little surprisedOn the week the Paris Stock Exchange has lost 5It seems difficult loose close to Nicolas Sarkozy3 on the previous quarter and 100 in 2004The 15 tax rate is however in this case reduced to 16Orange put 200 millionIn the meantime intoxication is2007 Valeo's results, which will be published on Wednesday, will lead to the gradual rise of low-cost countries in the Organization of the French automotive OEM. Thierry Morin group was already 2006 33 of its purchases in the so-called "competitive" countries and this part is called quickly, up to 70 of the total in 2010. It is on this condition that the CEO of the company can succeed his gamble of its operating margin of 3 of turnover to 6 at the end of the Decade. Without talk officially about relocations, Valeo has already "localized" at mid-2007 44 of its 133 industrial sites in countries with low labour costs. In terms of personnel, these regions covered 55 percent of its employees (excluding engineers).
The Eastern Europe illustrates this gradual transfer of activity: Valeo has installed a few 4 sites of production in Poland years, roughly 4,200 people, 3 plants in Czech Republic (3.564 employees), which are more various industrial activities in Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. His research now focuses on the Russia, including the St. Petersburg area, where many automakers come to settle.
Nothing that in Czech Republic, the OEM has invested 205 million since his arrival in 1995 and do not regret. "Costs, all included, are two and a half times lower than those of the France or the Germany," said André Gold, senior Vice President in charge of quality, purchasing and logistics. Not content with its three plants in the country, which deliver not less than 25 plants motor heating-cooling systems, control panels and compressors, the Group also based in Prague in 2002 a centre of research and development employing 75 people. "It is looking the best cost per hour of R & D." "And, Furthermore, it helps to be next to factories," added the leader of Valeo. Here, the wages are of the order of 1,500 euros per month for a junior engineer and 670 euros for a worker, while the Act provides for only four weeks of vacation per year.
Ideally located in the centre of Europe, the Czech Republic to be used in a few hours by truck Audi Slovak, Czech or German Volkswagen plants such as Skoda or the joint venture between PSA and Toyota. But the Habs OEM is much wider, it also already brought its range to 1,000 km around Prague, allowing it to reach the sites of the East of the France (Mulhouse, Sochaux) Peugeot that manufacture the 308, that of Dacia in Romania and even Saab in the South of the Sweden. "Within this radius of 1.000 km, found 60 of all European automobile production", says André Gold. A complementary part of the products share even in China, South Africa or Finland. Valeo is the world two thermal branch passenger compartment, behind the Japanese Denso.
Improved quality
This privileged geographical position allowed to conquer most of the big names of European car, from Audi to Porsche, but this would hardly have been possible without a very significant quality, began improving in 2002. At this time, "we react very slowly, we manage crises, with scrap and ironing the problems our customers," summarizes without fard André Gold. A drastic plan to redesign the methods and the Organization to reduce 95 the number of defects on parts (of 185 per million produced in 2002 to only 10 per million last year). For its part, R & D of Prague centre is stationed at a regional application: its engineers are given more complete tasks each year, to develop the air conditioners of tomorrow. And they work in pairs, via the computer and the phone, with their colleagues in Michigan, "extend" the life of a day's work and shorten the development time.
