Renault Trucks transfers Short Series activity into new subsidiary

On June 1st 2008, Renault Trucks Short Series unit (PRPS) will be re-classified as a subsidiary under the name “TEXELIS”. This is a crucial stage in the development of this activity, which delivers drive axles, transmissions and other mechanical assemblies to the commercial vehicle and rail sectors.

Renault Trucks, one of Europe’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, continues the process of refocusing on its strategic activities. Having sold off some of its non-core activities in the past (gearboxes, coaches and buses, drives axles / axles, foundry, etc…), Renault Trucks today announces the subsidiarisation of its “Short Series” business.

This is the final stage of a process begun in 2001 which has allowed greater autonomy to the activity within the heavy-duty vehicle manufacturer’s organisation. This has given the business its own identity, guaranteeing its sustainability. To mark this milestone and the shift in emphasis, the Short Series unit is changing its name to Texelis SAS.

With 300 employees on its industrial site in Limoges, the Short Series unit has traditionally focused on the manufacture of short series of parts and mechanical assemblies for the Renault Trucks group and for a dozen or so other customers, primarily from the rail sector.

Amongst the products coming of the Limoges production lines are drive axles for all-terrain vehicles from the Renault Trucks range: Kerax worksite trucks and Midlum fire trucks, as well as transmissions for tyre-equipped underground trains (Paris, Montreal, Mexico, Santiago du Chilli, etc…) and Citadis tram systems that are operated in over 28 cities across the world.

Also of note are powertrains for several armoured and combat vehicles, such as the Front Armoured Vehicle (FAV) and the AIFV (Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle).

From being a simple Renault Trucks production site in 2001, the Short Series unit has, with the Group’s support, progressively taken on board all the functions
required to position it as front-line equipment manufacturer today: product design office, after-sales, sales department, innovation unit, purchasing department, etc…

Texelis can justifiably stake its claim as a “major European player in the development, production and sale of customised solutions for power transmission and vehicle bearing capacity.”

With the confidence of some of the world’s leading urban transport systems (Alstom Transport, Bombardier Transport, Irisbus, etc…), its presence on the specialty vehicles market and the backing of its shareholder Renault Trucks, Texelis can now capitalise on its excellent position when attacking markets where sustainable development is the watchword, and where the future looks bright…

Texelis is already into the next phase of its development, which will focus on the search for an industrial partner to take over the reigns from Renault Trucks… probably at some time in 2009.