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Should it be built in France?


Bowie69

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I think it needs to be "build" where they can do it for the best quality / retail price.

 

"Building" it outside the EU in a "3rd country" makes it more expensive for the EU market (Import Duty 10/20/25 %).

IF that is where they think they'll be selling most (EU) it makes sense - if they think US is the place to sell, they'll do it there.

Also, the EU has many trade agreements with most countries on trade, tariffs, homologations and sorts of legal rulings making trade easier.

Where to "build" is a matter of logistics, costs, politics and all that - not a lot of room for emotions I'm afraid...

And, let's face it, "build" is really not the word IMHO for this as most components (engines, transmissions, axles, chassis) are made elsewhere and it is more a logistical puzzle and putting it together...

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11 hours ago, Mo Murphy said:

More pertinently ...

Isn't it about time we invaded France now that we have these Longbows ?

Mo

You say that as if it belonged to them. I'd say it's more a case of restoring the original government.

 

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On 8/15/2020 at 5:09 PM, Anderzander said:

We had a French government from 1066 for rather a long time - we’re all half French.

I'll pass on the French if you dont mind.

My DNA shows me to be more German than even the most obvious candidate of British or Irish 🤪

So, back to invading France ...

Mo

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Look at the build quality of Peugeot and Renault, look at French labour law and their propensity for strikes.  It’d be like asking a European manufacturer to set up a plant in a 1970 BL factory with BL staff...  I think that answers the question well enough.  

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartville,_Hambach,_France

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/mercedes-benz-sell-smart-factory-france

https://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/Production-The-Hambach-plant---quality-and-efficiency-in-one.xhtml?oid=9905219

Smart production of the new model is going to China; Daimler need to keep the existing staff employed or the French State will be wanting its pound of flesh; Magna is there already; there is a fair bit of space around the Smart plant.

Quality was OK, staff costs are above average.

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Thanks really interesting reading that - as recently as 2018 they invested a big chunk of money in it. So it would seem that financial pressures or opportunity (sale to China) changed their direction.

One of those articles says wages were lower than the German site considered as an alternative at the time of building.

As you say too - one of the Ineos Delivery Partners on site already would be a boon.

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Just reading a bit more: Hambach is right on the border with Germany - Hambach forest and Castle are over the German Border.

That region, Moselle, actually has German as a dominant language and culture.

Its also apparently within a few km of one of the Ineos Chemical Plants

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

Looks that that's all over as there was an announcement on the Ineos Grenadier Facebook page:-

https://www.facebook.com/INEOSGrenadier

"We can confirm today that we have acquired the manufacturing facility at Hambach from Mercedes-Benz and will start to build the Grenadier there in late 2021. Hambach is the ideal facility for production of the Grenadier. One of Europe’s most modern automotive manufacturing sites, it is home to a highly experienced and capable workforce, has an excellent track record amongst Mercedes plants for the quality of its output, and recently benefited from a major investment to enable the production of larger vehicles. Manufacturing at Hambach ensures that we remain on track to meet our plans to deliver the Grenadier to customers in early 2022."

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