Michelin Inaugurates COSMOS, a New Machine for the Production of Ag Tires

• COSMOS: a new machine for the production of agricultural tires, until now unseen in the Michelin group
• A project that forms part of the site’s “2021-2026” roadmap
• A major asset for the Troyes site and an illustration of Michelin’s All Sustainable vision

Michelin is announcing the inauguration of the COSMOS machine on its industrial site in Troyes.

COSMOS: a new machine for the production of agricultural tires, hitherto unseen in the Michelin group

For several months, the factory has been host to an innovative project to install a new agricultural tire production machine, one that is more efficient and more ergonomic. COSMOS is currently unique in the Group as it uses a new technology suited to the specific nature of agricultural tire manufacture – size, weight, material technology, etc.

For this project, and since the studies began, multi-disciplinary teams have worked with the site’s production operators to develop a solution that is perfectly tailored to their everyday use.

A project that forms part of the site’s “2021-2026” roadmap

In 2021, the Troyes site defined its 2021-20236 roadmap that should allow it to consolidate its overall performance and strengthen its place in the Group’s industrial strategy in Europe, based on two priorities:

• Manufacture tomorrow’s tire ranges at competitive prices, by focusing on more lucrative markets, especially the high-power tractor market;
• Develop the site’s attractiveness by improving the quality of life in the workplace in all its aspects.

The implementation of COSMOS aims to meet all the expectations of this roadmap.

An investment such as COSMOS, undertaken with the support of the Group, is a strong signal for the Troyes factory. Positioning itself on premium products, team excellence, the modernization of the manufacturing process, and improvement in working conditions: the factory has been able to sustainably meet a set of requirements that condition the viability of an industrial site.

A major asset for the Troyes site and an illustration of Michelin’s All Sustainable vision

 From the development of the COSMOS project to its operation, everything has been considered around the Michelin Group’s All Sustainable vision.

Environmental advances:

From an environmental point of view, through the integration of this new technology, COSMOS will allow for improving the Troyes site’s environmental performance by reducing the use of solvents by around 20%.

Economic advances:

In terms of economic performance, this new machine will offer greater flexibility in customer service, by manufacturing dimensional ranges that were impossible to produce on site up to now. The industrialization of new tire dimensions will also allow the Michelin Troyes site to position itself on products that are even more technological and with high added value.

Human advances:

Throughout the development of COSMOS, the teams made it a point of honor to put people at the center of the priorities. One of the objectives was to make the confectioners’ work easier on agricultural tires, which can measure up to two meters in height. Thanks to this new machine, the workstation ergonomics have been considerably improved.

To accompany the implementation of COSMOS, the Troyes site wanted it to be part of a specific environment. In fact, an immense colorful fresco covers a wall measuring 80 m² adjoining the machine. This collaborative work was created by an artist, with the help of the confectioners who will come to work on the new COSMOS machine.

Thanks to the ergonomic improvements, the modernization of the training on the station and the new fresco, Cosmos responds to the site’s attractiveness challenges by offering a more accessible job in a pleasant working environment.

Alongside 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 concentrates 40% of the Michelin group’s global capacity for agricultural tire production. It numbers 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), and even John Deere and CLAAS.

Source: Michelin