In Douvrin and Billy-Berclau (Pas-de-Calais), ACC is inaugurating its new manufacturing plant for electric batteries, which are supposed to equip millions of vehicles in Europe in the years to come. A boon for local employment.
It is an inauguration heavy with symbols, a ribbon cutting supposed to open a new page of history. In Hauts-de-France, is deindustrialization over, is it time for new, forward-looking factories? This is essentially the message that seeks to be passed on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, on the side of Douvrin and Billy-Berclau (Pas-de-Calais). The two municipalities, located between Lille and Lens, are home to the Automotive Cell Company (ACC), a company co-created by Stellantis, TotalEnergies and Mercedes. In this region bruised by the successive closures of production lines of all kinds, this establishment is a sign of a new lease of life. But concretely, what will be produced on this site? And how many jobs will it generate?
The creation of the ACC plant anticipates future European legislation: the ban on the sale of thermal vehicles in 2035. Cars and various conventional means of transport using gasoline or diesel can no longer be marketed in the EU. Thus, the market for electric cars should soar. This opens up the breach in the production of specific electric batteries intended for them. It is within this framework that Stellantis, TotalEnergies and Mercedes have come together to open an electric battery factory. The stated objective is to equip 500,000 vehicles per year in 2030. Production should increase in intensity over the years since, initially, only Stellantis and Mercedes will market these batteries.
To run this factory, ACC will not rely (only) on robots. With steps that can only be done by hand and all the surrounding logistics, 2000 jobs are promised by management, directly on the site. A mass recruitment but part of which is already assured. ACC has indeed established itself opposite a Stellantis site producing engines for thermal cars. However, the rate will decrease from year to year. Thus approximately 650 positions will be taken by Stellantis employees. The rest should be external recruitment, between employees who already have experience and young graduates.
At this stage, the teams are not complete. Only one in three production lines will initially be operational. The build-up will happen over time. About forty positions are currently available, all on permanent contracts, in various sectors (technicians, engineers, HR). In addition, management is counting on 1,000 additional, indirect jobs, linked to service providers of all kinds. What to initiate a revitalization of the sector?
