PSA will add production shifts to meet demand for Citroen C4 Cactus

PSA will add production shifts to meet demand for Citroen C4 Cactus

PSA/Peugeot-Citroen is adding extra production shifts at its Villaverde factory near Madrid to meet increasing demand for the new Citroen C4 Cactus, a report said.

Production workers at PSA’s plant at Villaverde will work on four Saturdays during November, La Tribuna de Automocion reported, citing industry sources.

The paper said the factory’s manager, Jose Carlos Robredo, told local journalists that the C4 Cactus is having a great success in the European market and daily production would grow by 20 percent as the model is fully rolled out across Europe. The C4 Cactus launched in France in September.

Citroen is targeting the C4 Cactus at compact car buyers seeking a utilitarian vehicle with low running costs. The car has protective panels on the doors and bumpers called Airbumps that absorb small impacts.

Citroen reduced development costs for the car by using a stretched version of the platform that underpins the smaller C3 and Peugeot 208 subcompacts.

Industry analysts forecasts annual sales of between 50,000 and 100,000 units for the C4 Cactus.

The Villaverde plant, which has an annual capacity of 200,000 units, was saved from closure two years ago after its workforce was drastically cut.