A Vénissieux (69), Kleuster et Renault Trucks officialisent leur collaboration en ouvrant leur usine au public. Les objectifs communs des deux entreprises sont de commercialiser 250 triporteurs d’ici fin 2023.
Renault Trucks’ Historic Site Transformed into Electric Trike Assembly Plant
The historic Renault Trucks site in Vénissieux, near Lyon, is undergoing a transformation. What used to be a factory producing 11-liter engines now houses the assembly zone for the Freegônes, an electric trike manufactured by start-up Kleuster. The most striking feature of the assembly zone is the silence, a stark contrast to the noise typically associated with factories. The twelve employees, who previously worked on the engine production line, have embraced this new opportunity for career conversion.
Transitioning from manufacturing internal combustion engines to assembling electric trikes is no small feat. It requires a shift from industrial processes to a more artisanal approach. Despite the challenges, the employees willingly made the transition, even accepting a pay cut. They have stepped out of their comfort zone and are now working with unfamiliar processes. The thirty-something operators have been trained on the job to adapt to their new roles.
Partnership Between Kleuster and Renault Trucks
In October 2022, the start-up Kleuster, acquired by Jean Lain Mobilités, announced a partnership with Renault Trucks. Over the past year, this collaboration has progressed steadily, with the site expected to assemble 200 Freegônes by the end of 2023. Kleuster has benefited from Renault Trucks’ industrial expertise, while Renault Trucks handles the commercial aspects of distribution and after-sales service. Currently, the vehicle is available through 30 distribution groups and 250 service points.
Industrial Collaboration at its Finest
The collaboration between Kleuster and Renault Trucks has allowed both companies to combine their expertise in order to industrialize the Freegônes. Instead of following the usual process of designing and engineering products, the two companies have worked hand in hand to disassemble and reassemble the trikes, finding the most efficient assembly methods. After some trial and error, the processes have been stabilized since July, enabling the assembly line to reach optimal performance.
Assembly Process and Safety Standards
The Freegônes assembly site is divided into five zones: goods entry and exit, logistics, sub-assembly, main assembly line for the chassis and cabin, and storage. Renault Trucks has brought its safety standards to Kleuster, ensuring that the 280 components stored in the factory are handled according to ergonomic guidelines. The company strictly adheres to a maximum weight of 12 kg for manual handling. To meet this requirement, Renault Trucks has rethought the assembly process, preassembling some components on small assembly lines to save time during final assembly.
Future Automation Possibilities
To transport the several dozen-kilogram chassis along the assembly line, a specially designed manual trolley has been used. However, as the demand for Freegônes increases, the possibility of automation is on the horizon. Currently, the production volumes do not justify the automation of processes, but as the number of orders grows, Kleuster is prepared to accelerate the pace. The once silent assembly site may soon be filled with the hum of automated machines.
International Expansion Plans
Kleuster has ambitious plans for the future. In the French B2B cargo bike market, the company aims to capture a 7% market share of the 4,000 cargo bikes sold to professionals by 2024, and 10% by 2025. Additionally, Kleuster plans to expand internationally, exporting the Freegônes to the Netherlands next year, followed by the United Kingdom and Belgium in two years. These plans indicate a potential increase in production volume in the coming years.
In conclusion, the transformation of the Renault Trucks site into an assembly plant for electric trikes marks a significant shift in the company’s operations. The collaboration between Kleuster and Renault Trucks has allowed for the successful industrialization of the Freegônes, with the potential for future automation. Kleuster’s ambitious plans for market share and international expansion indicate a promising future for the company in the cargo bike industry.
