Brace yourselves. We are about to delve into the heart of Spanish industrial innovation at the Fábrica de vehículos IVECO.
The IVECO Madrid plant stands as a testament to Spain’s rich history in vehicle manufacturing. It is also a beacon of modern production excellence. This isn’t just any factory. It’s the only heavy truck factory in Spain.
IVECO acquired this facility in 1990. It took over the reins from the historic Spanish truck brand, Pegaso. Pegaso was born as Empresa Nacional de Autocamiones in 1946. The first construction phase of this large Madrid manufacturing plant finished in 1955. Pegaso’s total production in Madrid reached 405,000 units from 1946 to 1990. In 2008, the manufacturing site reached one million sold vehicles under the name IVECO Pegaso.
Today, the IVECO Madrid plant is a leading facility within the CNH Industrial Group. It produces the New Stralis and Trakker ranges. These vehicles serve global markets. The plant can produce up to 300,000 different versions of these vehicles due to its flexible production process. About 87% of its output heads to export markets. These markets include Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America.
This plant achieved Gold Level in World Class Manufacturing. It is the first of CNH Industrial’s 64 facilities globally to reach this manufacturing excellence pinnacle. Achieving Gold Level required a profound transformation. This included production systems alongside significant environmental and safety improvements.
The plant’s improvements have resulted in a continuous increase in safety. It also increased high quality in the processes and products. The plant achieved a service level of 100%. Its environmental strides led to a 53% reduction in CO2 emissions per vehicle. The facility also recycles 99% of its waste.
The plant employs over 2,500 people. It has the highest percentage of female employees in the Spanish automotive sector at 21%. IVECO produces 112 trucks each day here. That’s one every 8.5 minutes. Every 24 hours, 20 trucks arrive loaded with material. These come from 156 suppliers across Europe. Most are from Italy. However, 14% originate in Spain. Each truck from the assembly line already has a customer awaiting it.
The IVECO Madrid plant specializes in heavy trucks between 18 and 40 tons. These include Stralis and Trakker models. They also produce special vehicles with natural gas engines or military applications. The assembly line stretches 1,350 meters. It manages over 24,000 references and 2,948 optionals.
In 2013, the plant made 7,000 different versions. It used more than 250 different bodywork colors. These came from a color palette of 450 references. Each truck uses 7 kilometers of cabling. The plant has 127 automatically guided vehicles. They transport material along the production chain.
IVECO is committed to Spain. It concentrates all heavy range manufacturing activities in Spain. Since then, IVECO has invested 500 million euros in its Spanish plants. It aims to increase production capacity and specialization in Madrid and Valladolid.
So, as we stand here, remember the history. Remember the innovation. Remember the commitment to quality. The Fábrica de vehículos IVECO embodies the spirit of Spanish industry. It drives towards a future of excellence on wheels.