NEW CELEBRATIONS AT FPT INDUSTRIAL: IN THE YEAR OF IVECO’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY, THE BOURBON-LANCY PLANT OPENS ITS DOORS TO CELEBRATE OVER 150 YEARS OF HISTORY
It’s celebration time once again at FPT Industrial: over the weekend, the Iveco Group brand welcomed guests to its Bourbon-Lancy plant to continue the celebrations for IVECO’s 50th anniversary – while also shining a spotlight on another historic milestone, underscoring FPT Industrial’s longstanding presence within France’s industrial landscape. In fact, the Bourbon-Lancy plant has surpassed 150 years of operation, fifty of which have been within the IVECO family and, since 2005, under the FPT Industrial brand.
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Over the weekend, the Bourbon-Lancy plant hosted a Family Day, opening its doors to FPT Industrial employees and their families, who had the opportunity to explore a historical journey featuring more than forty vehicles, engines, and parts on display.
Sylvain Blaise, President of Iveco Group’s Powertrain Business Unit, commented: “Today, we gather to recognize a remarkable milestone reached by FPT Industrial and to celebrate it alongside IVECO’s 50th anniversary. From this standpoint, celebrating 150 years of this plant takes on even greater significance, shining new light on how the success of the IVECO brand is rooted in stories of excellence that go even further back in time. The story of the Bourbon-Lancy plant is undoubtedly one of these. Today, this facility stands as a true manifesto of FPT Industrial’s excellence – the result of a winning formula that combines human talent with cutting-edge technology and innovation. Here, 1,200 people work every day with passion and dedication, transforming raw materials into engines that power the world.”
The history of the Bourbon-Lancy plant began in 1874, when it quickly became a key production hub for early innovations in the agricultural sector. From the mid-20th century, the site expanded its industrial and business footprint through diversification – including its acquisition by SIMCA to manufacture SOMECA tractors. In 1975, the plant was acquired by IVECO, marking the beginning of its specialization in the production of internal combustion engines. Just 22 years later, in 1998, it became the birthplace of one of the most iconic and innovative engine ranges in FPT Industrial’s history: the CURSOR engine family. CURSOR 8 and CURSOR 10 were the first diesel engines in the heavy-duty transport sector with a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT), optimizing the airflow into the engine. The CURSOR series introduced a new concept, new materials, new components, and advanced electronics, defining an innovative approach to heavy-duty engines through cutting-edge design and engineering choices. The DNA of these engines was further shaped with the introduction of new models and displacements, leading up to the launch of the latest addition to the CURSOR family – unveiled in 2022 and further enhanced with the Model Year 2024 version – the XCURSOR 13, FPT Industrial’s first multi-fuel single base engine, offering best-in-class power, torque, and braking power, and one of the most relevant parts of Iveco Group's decarbonization program.
The Bourbon-Lancy plant now stands as a flagship of FPT Industrial’s excellence and global heritage, playing a key role in the brand’s production value chain, as well as a symbol of French industrial manufacturing and a key contributor to the local economy and employment landscape. A factory where the skills and passion of over 1,200 dedicated professionals meet cutting-edge technologies ensuring the highest standards of production quality. Thanks to this unique combination, the plant achieved World Class Manufacturing Gold Level in 2021 — the highest possible recognition for operational excellence. In 2022, it adopted the DOT (Driving Operations Together) program, a results-driven initiative designed to optimize global operations. The program focuses on enhancing safety and quality standards, while improving performance across the brand’s entire industrial footprint and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence.
