At its industrial site in Troyes, the tire maker has inaugurated its Cosmos machine – a new system for the production of agricultural tires, previously unseen across the Michelin group.
The factory has been host to the Cosmos project – an initiative to install a new agricultural tire production machine that is more efficient and more ergonomic. The Cosmos system is currently unique in the Michelin group, as it uses a new technology suited to the specific nature of agricultural tire production (size, weight, material technology, and so on).
Multi-disciplinary teams have worked with the site’s production operators to develop a solution tailored to their everyday use.
The Cosmos project forms part of the site’s 2021-2026 roadmap, which should enable the facility to consolidate overall performance and strengthen its place in the group’s industrial strategy in Europe. This roadmap is based on two priorities. The first is to manufacture future tire ranges at competitive prices, by focusing on more lucrative markets, especially the high-power tractor market. Secondly, to develop the site’s attractiveness by improving the quality of life in the workplace in all aspects.
From an environmental point of view, the integration of the new Cosmos technology will enable the Troyes site to improve environmental performance by reducing the use of solvents by around 20%. In terms of economic performance, the new machine will offer greater flexibility in customer service, by manufacturing dimensional ranges that were previously impossible to produce on site.
Throughout the development of Cosmos, one of the objectives was to make work easier for operators working with agricultural tires, which can measure up to 2m in height. Thanks to this new machine, workstation ergonomics have been considerably improved.
As well as Cosmos, the Troyes factory has also undertaken a manufacturing workshop modernization project. In 2022, the site inaugurated its first robots with the aim of eliminating grueling tasks with a low added value within workshops. A project to implement automated carts is also underway.
The site currently contributes 40% of the Michelin group’s global capacity for agricultural tire production. It has 750 employees, exports 85% of its production (66% to Europe and 29% to North America) and counts among its clients such major constructors as the CNH Group (Case, Steyr, New Holland) and the AGCO Group (Fendt, Challenger, Massey-Ferguson and Valtra), as well as John Deere and CLAAS.
