Master achieves record output in 2015

According to Renault sources, the company's Sandouville plant in France built 93,000 New Trafic and vehicles for Renault and its partner GM in 2015.

First Trafic vans from Sandouville

For the first time in its history, since it was opened in 1964, Renault’s Sandouville plant is about to start building light commercial vehicles (LCVs).

The plant will produce New Trafic (to be launched this summer) and the high-roof version of the Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro, previously built in Spain (Nissan plant in Barcelona) and the UK (General Motors plant in Luton).

Major investment by Renault in Brazil

A new investment cycle has been implemented by Renault Group in Brazil worth R$ 500 million (£133 million) over the 2014-2019 period.

This investment will be channelled into the development of two new cars at Renault's plant in Curitiba.

Millbrook acquired by Rutland Partners

As exclusively reported in this blogspot on 25 September, Rutland Partners of Regent Street, London has now confirmed it has acquired Millbrook Proving Ground Limited. The wait is over - this blogspot first revealed Millbrook being placed 'for sale' a year ago in October 2012!

The venture capitalist company exchanged contracts with General Motors (on 2 October) for the acquisition of Millbrook Proving Ground Limited for an undisclosed amount with additional funds being made available for the development of new facilities.

The nature of the ‘new money’ and new investments has not at this stage been disclosed. The consideration could be a multiple of Millbrook’s trading profits. For example, Rutland acquired Pizza Hut UK Restaurants for £20 million and the renowned test centre might seem a strange bedfellow alongside the Edinburgh Woollen Mill business which Rutland acquired for £80 million.