Faurecia inaugurates new N American HQ and seating tech centre

Earlier this month Faurecia, the world’s seventh-largest automotive supplier, inaugurated its new North American headquarters and Automotive Seating TechCenter in Auburn Hills, Michigan (US), in the presence of Rick Snyder, governor of the state of Michigan, Kevin McDaniel, mayor of Auburn Hills and Yann Delabrière, chairman and CEO of Faurecia.

The new facility, spread across over 25,000 square metres, includes a full-fledged Seating TechCenter with prototype metal shop; trim development lab; just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing lab; structural testing lab; environmental testing chambers; noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and electrical lab; and semi-anechoic chamber for sound testing. More than 700 people are now based in the new building.

The site also features an information sharing hub called the Innovation Plateau. This area serves as a creative center for Faurecia employees to foster ideas and inspire new technology developments for the company’s seating business.

“Over the past five years, we have tripled our sales, doubled our workforce and outpaced much of the supplier industry in the region,” said Yann Delabrière, chairman and CEO of Faurecia. “Since 2010, we have opened 15 new plants and technology centres in North America and have expanded into new automotive regions of the US. Our new headquarters and Seating TechCenter adds to our already growing footprint in Michigan and North America and underscores our commitment to the region. Southeast Michigan is a centre of automotive excellence that offers us access to the right people, technologies, and ideas to help us design and manufacture advanced vehicle systems that meet the auto industry's evolving needs.”

Major acquisitions such as Emcon Technologies in emissions control and the Saline operations in interior systems, dedicated to Ford, the Group’s second largest customer worldwide, have been instrumental in strengthening the company’s North American footprint and the company’s ability to cater to its customers which include Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford and General Motors as well as European and Asian automakers present in North America.