Preparations for the start of production of the new Toyota Yaris at the Toyota Peugeot Citroën Automobile (TPCA) plant in Cologne continue despite the coronavirus pandemic as planned. However, the bad epidemic situation in the Czech Republic affects, for example, the arrival of foreign engineers from Europe and Japan, said spokesman Tomáš Paroubek. It is not yet clear when Yaris will start production in Cologne.
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TPCA announced the production of a new model in January this year, in Cologne it will be created alongside the so-called Cologne triplets, ie models Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 and Citroën C1. From 1 January 2021, Toyota will take over the joint Cologne plant, but even then cars of all three brands will be produced here.
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“The situation in the Czech Republic also has an impact on activities with regard to the arrival of foreign engineers from Europe and Japan, which it needs to install new equipment for the production of the new Toyota Yaris model. All activities with regard to preparation, installation and so on still continue, despite many restrictions according to the plan, ”said Paroubek.
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Symbolic start of production of facelifted “Cologne triplets” of Citroën C1, Toyota Aygo and Peugeot 108 (from left) (2018)
Photo: TPCA
The carmaker expects to invest more than four billion crowns, and has also started recruiting employees. “Our recruitment activities and all activities are in full swing,” said Paroubek. According to earlier information, the company has to find 1,000 employees, and three new halls are being built in the industrial zone near Kolín.
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The company does not expect to stop production, as it was in the spring. “The stoppage of the line was mainly affected by the closure of the borders. The dealership in Western Europe was closed and there was nowhere and how to deliver parts or cars to customers, which is not yet the case and in this the measures are a little different, “said Paroubek.
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TPCA is a joint venture between the PSA Group, which brings together the Peugeot, Citroën and DS brands and Toyota. The city’s Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 and Citroën C1 microcars, which share a common technical basis, have been producing 210,121 cars since 2005. The company is one of the largest exporters in the Czech Republic. The average gross salary of an employee who is remunerated on the basis of tariffs was CZK 42,200 last year in the company. It employs about 2,500 people.
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