Following the Peugeot 308’s election as the 2014 European Car of the Year, the C-segment model brings more good news for the French carmaker. Since PSA Peugeot Citroen has 60,000 orders for the 308 and plans to launch the 308 SW next month, the company has announced the introduction of a night shift starting on June 2 2014 at its Sochaux plant.
Peugeot said 600 jobs will be created, 450 of which will be un-temporary, with the remaining positions to be filled through internal mobility. In addition, some one hundred site operators will receive skills-enhancement training to become monitors. The night shift will produce 26 vehicles per hour, raising the daily output of the Peugeot 308 by 180 to a total of 1,563 units.
The night shift is expected to operate for at least six months and perhaps longer depending on demand, according to Peugeot. The Sochaux plant currently employs about 10,800 people under permanent contract and 600 temporary workers. The facility produces the Peugeot 308, 508, and 3008 models alongside the Citroen DS5. The last time the plant hired workers was in 2011.
In late April, the company will introduce a second body style to the 308 family with the 308 SW, which boasts the largest boot in its segment at 660 liters or 23.3 cubic feet, although initially Peugeot said the 308 SW’s boot volume was 610 liters
By Dan Mihalascu
PHOTO GALLERY
