Renault/Nissan to strengthen synergies in Engineering, Manufacturing & Supply Chain Management, Purchasing, & HR

• Renault and Nissan to strengthen synergies in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering & Supply Chain Management, Purchasing, and Human Resources
• Additional functions expected to converge after internal approval process
• Convergence should generate €5.5 billion in synergies in 2018

The Renault-Nissan Alliance is strengthening synergies in four core divisions and launching new convergence projects to boost efficiency and revenue. Convergence includes integrating divisions, creating common processes, exchanging talent and other significant sharing of resources. 

Convergence helped Renault and Nissan generate more than €4 billion in annualized synergies in calendar-year 2015.

During a convention of top Alliance executives globally, Renault-Nissan announced today that it is strengthening synergies in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering and Supply Chain Management, Purchasing, and Human Resources. These functions converged in 2014 and already have Alliance executives managing the units.

The Alliance also plans to partly converge Quality and Costing to support the original four converged functions. The Alliance will study other opportunities to increase synergies in Sales & Marketing, Connectivity and Connected Services, Product Planning, Aftersales and other support functions.

Through the end of March, Renault and Nissan executives will present these convergence projects to appropriate employee representation and corporate decision-making bodies. If approved at the end of an internal review process, implementation will begin April 1. Leaders in these new functions and the scope of their converged activities will be announced at that time.

Alliance as Pragmatic Business Tool

Renault and Nissan share an industrial footprint with numerous cross-manufacturing projects in France, South Korea, India and Russia. In addition, engineers at Renault and Nissan – which have a combined annual R&D and capital expenditure fund of €10 billion -- work together as one team to reduce duplication in the development of next-generation technologies.

The Alliance aims to generate €5.5 billion in synergies in 2018.

“The auto industry is rapidly evolving, requiring Renault and Nissan to leverage the Alliance as a pragmatic business tool,” said Renault-Nissan Alliance CEO and Chairman Carlos Ghosn. “The road ahead is one of more convergence, working more closely together.”

Bentley named as one of the UK's best employers, for the third year running.

• UK Top Employer award for third consecutive year
• “Dedication to personal and professional development”
• Company prepares for annual Apprentice Open Day on 22 March

Bentley Motors has been named as one of Britain’s Top Employers for the third year running by the Top Employers Institute. Bentley’s dedication to the personal development, working environment and employee culture of the 3,700 colleagues who work at the Crewe headquarters was particularly praised.

Dr. Ariane Reinhart, Member of the Board for Human Resources, said: “We are proud that our efforts to cultivate a talented, diverse and engaged workforce have been recognised. It’s not only a testament to our dedication to personal and professional development, but also to our skilled and committed colleagues.”

Bentley’s nationally recognised apprenticeship programme, which develops new talent within the business, was a strong contributing factor in the Top Employers’ assessment of employee development opportunities. 62 apprentices are currently employed at Bentley, working in a variety of areas including Engineering, Marketing, Communications, Manufacturing and Human Resources, all of which combine on the job training with academic qualifications.

Bentley’s annual Apprentice Open Day will be held on Saturday 22 March at its headquarters in Crewe, where attendees are invited to speak to current Apprentices and learn more about the scheme and its benefits.

Opportunities to develop are not limited to new recruits. A key focus within Bentley is growing the talent that exists in current employees and maximising potential through development opportunities and clear career pathways. This has led to the business already being accredited as an Investor in People to silver standard.

The award closely follows Bentley’s record sales year in 2013, in which 10,120 cars were delivered, a 19% increase on 2012 and the highest number ever in the company’s 95-year history, firmly underlining its position as the number one luxury car brand in the world.