Renault-Nissan's Indian plant to cater to Danone's mega order

Chennai, July 5 (IANS) The Indian plant of Franco-Japanese Renault-Nissan Alliance will also cater to the 15,000 vehicle ordered by French food company Danone for its operations spread across 25 nations, said a company official.

French auto giant Renault Thursday announced that Danone has selected the Renault-Nissan Alliance to supply 15,000 vehicles in an exclusive fleet contract.

The first-of-its-kind deal for the Renault-Nissan Alliance provides a full range of vehicles to Danone in 25 countries for at least five years.

According to Renault, the French food company fleet can select vehicles from four brands under the Renault-Nissan Alliance: Renault, Dacia, Nissan and Infiniti. Danone will have a single contract with the same services.

The product range stretches from passenger cars in the A to the E segment and commercial vehicles, including electric models. The highest volumes will be in Russia, Mexico and France.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has an automobile plant at Oragadam near here rolling out Renault and Nissan branded vehicles.

"The Chennai plant will produce vehicles for Danone for the Indian use but also for other countries. The volumes cannot be communicated as it will depend on the country and vehicle orders given by Danone," Rie Yamane, director (communications) of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, told IANS in an email.

The Danone order includes some Renault-Nissan Alliance vehicles for its Indian operations but the volume may not be high.