13.10.2006

Haulotte to start production in January

Haulotte is pressing ahead with its two new production facilities in Spain and Romania with production at both plants beginning in January 2007.

Output from the Romania facility will be gradual starting with the Compact Diesel C10 DX, currently produced in Le Creusot and the Optimum 8 scissor lift currently built in Reims.

As part of the skills transfer, Romanian employees will be sent to be trained in France, while French teams will be sent to Romania from January onwards for the start-up of manufacturing.

Jose Monfront, deputy general manager speaking on the logic of dual sourcing said “The addition of the Romanian plant, will allow us to increase our production capacity to meet demand for all of Eastern Europe, shortening delivery times, transport costs and customs’ duties.”

Haulotte Arges in Romania was registered as a company at the beginning of September and construction of the 4,000 sq metre building should be completed at the end of this month.

All equipment is planned to be installed by the end of the year and the first dozen staff have been recruited, including technicians and production engineers. In total about 50 will be based at the plant.

In Spain Haulotte has launched a large scale recruitment campaign with the help of the Cantabrian regional government to staff its new 19,000 sq metre facility near Santander.

“We were looking for about 30 people initially, with the intent to develop rapidly over the next three years,” said Michel Lina, director of group industrial projects.

All senior management involved with the facility are currently on a three month ‘integration process’ in L’Horme to become more familiar with Haulotte products, methods and processes.

Production is scheduled to begin next January dedicated to its ‘diversified products’ which will include excavators and a Haulotte designed telehandler range. Its agreement with Faresin has now ended, leaving the company without a telehandler product at present.