Faurecia opens state-of-the-art R&D centre in Pune

June 22, 2012: Faurecia, the world’s sixth largest automotive engineering solutions and automotive components supplier, today inaugurated its state-of-the-art Tech Center for automotive interior systems, automotive seating and automotive exteriors in Pune. The inauguration took place in the presence of the Consul General of France in Mumbai, Jean-Raphaël Peytregnet and special guest Lila Poonawalla of the Lila Poonawalla Foundation.

As a key partner to automakers, Faurecia believes that being close to its customer base is critical for long-term success. The Tech Center, which can accommodate 800 automotive engineers, is a fully integrated facility with CAD/CAE (Computer Aided Design & Engineering) and PPV (Product and Process Validation) activities and will help in expanding Faurecia’s three core business groups in India -- Interior Systems, Automotive Seating and Automotive Exteriors.

Every year, the group's R&D teams at the company’s Tech Centers in India mastermind over 200 innovation-led projects focusing on safety, comfort, interior space management, environmental performance, perceived quality and cost control. Globally, Faurecia has registered 300 patents during the year 2011.

Speaking on the occasion, Christophe Schmitt, executive vice-president of Faurecia Interior Systems, said, “Faurecia is growing faster than the automotive market, enjoys solid growth potential, benefits from a diverse regional and customer mix and is continuously improving its cost structure. Our new Tech Center in India is an extension of our commitment to the Indian consumers and our growing customer base in the country. Our aim is to develop high quality, high safety and high comfort products at this centre.”

The new Faurecia facility is part of a global network of R&D centres around the world, under the helm of Nicolas Pechnyk, vice-president of engineering, Faurecia Interior Systems, who said: “Since the inception of our Tech Center in 2004, Faurecia’s engineering teams in India have developed the most-advanced automotive skills to perform the full-range of development activities for customers at home and abroad. The new Tech Center in Pune is an instrumental part of our global R&D and engineering footprint.”

Franck Euvrard, managing director, Faurecia Interior Systems India, added: “The systems and technologies developed in India are in keeping with the overall Group strategy for its global requirements. India for us at Faurecia is marked by a long-term commitment to grow teams and locations, to operate as centres of excellence, capable of developing hi-tech solutions for Faurecia’s global and local customer base. Everything from investment in infrastructure, recruitment of young engineers, comprehensive training processes and quality is testimony to Faurecia’s long-term growth plans in India.”

Faurecia in India

Faurecia entered India in 1995, with its Emissions Control business in Nashik. Currently, Faurecia is headquartered in Pune and has two R&D centres in the country, in Pune (Interior, Seating and Exterior) and in Bangalore (Emissions Control Technologies).

The company also has nine production facilities covering the main Indian automotive production base in Pune, Manesar, Chennai, Bangalore and Sanand with a total employee strength in India of over 1,600 people (18 percent of the Group’s total Asian staff).

In India, Faurecia caters to leading automobile OEMs like Ford, Hyundai, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Toyota and Volkswagen. Faurecia also supplies to commercial vehicles such as heavy duty trucks, together with its global partner Cummins with an aim to capture a major share of the Indian truck emissions control market.