Louis-Schweitzer
The site combines industrial heritage with innovation and performance
LE MANS – Jean-Dominique Senard, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Renault Group, and François Provost, CEO of the Renault Group, visited the Group’s global chassis center in Le Mans today. The occasion was a tribute to former Renault Group Chairman and CEO Louis Schweitzer, who passed away on November 6, 2025. In recognition of his significant contribution to the development of the company and the Le Mans site, the Renault Group is officially renaming the site “Manufacture Louis Schweitzer – Le Mans.”
Jean-Dominique Senard, Chairman of the Renault Group’s Supervisory Board, states: “François Provost and I agree that one of the Group’s major sites should bear the name of Louis Schweitzer. He realigned the Group, firmly linking economic performance with the company’s traditional values. For this reason, we have decided to name the French site in Le Mans after him. For us, this is a powerful symbol and, at the same time, a recognition of how a great leader has left an indelible mark on the Group.”
François Provost, CEO of the Renault Group, says: “By naming the Le Mans site after Louis Schweitzer, the Renault Group is honoring a figure who led the company into the 21st century. The Le Mans site, the company’s oldest, represents both the depth of our history and our ongoing commitment to innovation. It unites heritage and forward-looking ambitions, industrial tradition and innovation. In this sense, it impressively reflects what Louis Schweitzer left behind for the Renault Group and what continues to guide us on our path into the future.”
Louis Schweitzer joined Renault in 1986 and served as Chairman and CEO from 1992 to 2005. As a visionary and strategist, he left a lasting mark on the history of the Renault Group and the French automotive industry.
Louis Schweitzer was one of the most influential figures in the history of the Renault Group and played a pivotal role in its modernization and international expansion. During his tenure as CEO from 1992 to 2005, the Group underwent a profound transformation, marked in particular by the launch of iconic models such as the Twingo, the Scénic, and the Kangoo, the acquisition of the Dacia brand, and the formation of the alliance with Nissan. During this period, key subsidiaries were also established, including Auto Chassis International (ACI) in 1999. ACI later played a central role in the development of the Le Mans site.
As a leader, Louis Schweitzer was known for his keen sense of dialogue and his particular focus on interpersonal relationships. He supported the profound changes within the Group by placing the management focus on listening, transparency, and consultation. This fostered a climate of lasting trust within his team. By naming the Le Mans site after him, the Renault Group honors a leader whose career was marked by strategic courage, humanity, and industrial excellence.
The connection between Louis Schweitzer and the Le Mans site is significant in two respects—both in the site’s origins and in its subsequent development. The founding of Auto Chassis International (ACI) in 1999 by Louis Schweitzer led to the establishment of a unique center of excellence in the global automotive industry, combining technological expertise and competitiveness. This was also achieved through the application of the “make-or-buy” model, which to this day remains at the core of projects in Le Mans and at other locations.
Today, the Le Mans site embodies the legacy of more than 100 years of industrial history—dating back to when Louis Renault launched operations there in 1920 and the subsequent specialization in chassis systems in the 1950s—as well as the continuity between mechanical tradition and sustainable innovation that is so vital to the Group.
The integrated automotive industrial ecosystem in Le Mans strengthens collaboration between engineering and production—a key factor in the site’s leading position in chassis research and development. The company is currently driving major innovations there, including automated “bin-picking” technology for industrial robots using 3D image processing, the development of laser cladding (a cutting-edge technology for reducing particle emissions during braking), and the “by-wire” chassis, in which conventional mechanical steering and brake linkages are replaced by high-precision electronic controls and which is currently being used in the “Filante Record 2025” demo vehicle.
The Le Mans site also plays a key role in the Renault Group’s electrification strategy. It supplies specialized chassis components and architectures for electric models across the entire range—from the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric to the Renault Master E-Tech Electric. The site combines a chassis center with 300 experts and a plant with 1,400 employees, ensuring complete control from development through production for the mobility of the future.
Renault Manufacture Louis Schweitzer – Le Mans
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