Douai Renault Factory
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Douai , France |
Area served | Europe |
| Owner | Renault Group |
Number of employees | 7000 (1977) |
Renault's Douai manufacturing facility is an automobile production site owned by the Renault Group, established in 1970 near Douai within the industrial Nord area, close to Lille.
History
The decision to build the Douai plant was finalized in 1968 and publicly announced in 1969. Its location was chosen for its advantageous position within the European Economic Community and excellent connectivity to major industrial hubs and population centers via road networks. Additionally, the area provided access to a substantial workforce following the downturn of local coal mining activities.
Initial limited series production commenced in early 1975 with the Renault 5, while primary manufacturing operations continued at the Flins Renault Factory. Later that year, production at Douai increased with the introduction of the Renault 14, which debuted in 1976 as Renault’s first direct rival to the Volkswagen Golf. By 1976, daily output had grown to approximately 325 units of the Renault 14 and 50 units of the R5. Since then, the factory has specialized in producing compact family vehicles.
By 1977, the workforce had expanded to around 7,000 employees, and the plant incorporated cutting-edge automation technology for its era, including a group of four "Unimate" robots responsible for primary welding operations. The facility also featured sufficient space to accommodate future growth.
In 2008, production of the mainstream Renault Mégane was shifted to the Palencia plant due to a decline in sales volumes, marking a challenge for Douai. Nonetheless, it continued manufacturing specialized versions such as the sporty Mégane CC Coupé and Cabriolet.
Historical production
Significant models produced at Renault’s Douai factory over time include:
- Renault 5 (1972–1985)
- Renault 14 (1976–1983)
- Renault 9/Renault 11 (1981–1989)
- Renault 19 (1988–1996)
- Renault Mégane I (1996–2002)
- Renault Scénic I (4X2 and RX4) (1996–2003)
- Renault Mégane II (saloon and coupé) (2003–2009)
- Renault Scénic II, Grand Scénic II (2003–2009)
- Renault Scénic III, Grand Scénic III (2009–2015)
- Renault Talisman (2015–2022)
- Renault Scénic IV (2016–2022)
- Renault Espace V (2015–2023)
Current production
At present, the Douai facility manufactures Renault’s electric and hybrid vehicles:
- Renault Megane E-Tech Electric (2022–present)
- Renault 5 E-Tech (2024–present)
- Renault Scenic E-Tech (2024–present)