Faurecia Rises To No. 5 Among North American Auto Suppliers
AUBURN HILLS -- Faurecia vaulted to fifth place among all North American automotive suppliers in 2012, according to the Automotive News list of the top 100 suppliers in the region.
Faurecia's leap from eighth in 2011 to fifth in 2012 was prompted by a growth in sales to more than $6 billion during the past year, compared with just over $4.7 billion in 2011. Faurecia's climb of three positions in the 2012 Automotive News list was the greatest jump for any of the top 10 suppliers.
The upsurge in automotive production and growth in Faurecia's market for emissions control technologies and interior systems helped fuel Faurecia's gains, along with continued growth in automotive seating and exterior systems.
The company's 2012 acquisition of the Automotive Components Holdings interior systems business at the Saline plant helped propel Faurecia to the No. 1 position among interiors suppliers last year and contributed significantly to its rise in the rankings for North American suppliers overall.
Faurecia's 2010 acquisition of Emcon Technologies also advanced Faurecia to the position of North America and worldwide market leader in emissions control technologies and continues to support new growth in emissions systems and innovations that are proving popular for the development of future passenger and commercial vehicles.
Faurecia North America now accounts for nearly 30 percent of the company's global sales and is one of the fastest-growing regions for Faurecia sales. In 2012, Faurecia outpaced light-vehicle production growth in North America, where sales rose by 41.3 percent. Growth continued in the first quarter of 2013, when Faurecia North America reported a 21.5 percent increase in sales, driven by significant advances in the interior systems business and automotive seating. Expansion in North America has been strengthened by reinforced and broadened partnerships with customers such as Ford, Nissan, Daimler and Volkswagen, as well as with customers in the commercial vehicles sector. Business in the region is expected to grow at 11 percent annually to reach $7 billion in 2016.
Since 2010, Faurecia has opened 15 new plants and technology centers in North America and has nearly doubled the size of its workforce to more than 20,000. Recently the company also announced the start of construction on a new 278,000-square-foot North America headquarters in Auburn Hills. The building, which also incorporates technical centers for Faurecia Automotive Seating and Faurecia Automotive Exteriors, will house as many as 700 employees when completed in 2014.
Automotive News also reports that, globally, Faurecia is in a virtual tie for sixth place among the world's top 100 suppliers, with $22.5 billion in sales (€17.4 billion) in 2012, up 7.3 percent versus its 2011 performance, despite the declining automotive market in Europe during the period.
More at www.faurecia.com.
