Faurecia leaps to 5th place among automotive suppliers in North America

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 (ACH) interior systems business at the Saline, Mich., plant helped propel Faurecia to the number-one 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.

"Faurecia's ranking reflects our company's progressive expansion across the U.S., Mexico and Canada over the past several years," said Faurecia North America President Michael Heneka. "We have gained increasing recognition for our technology innovation, and our introduction of new lightweight products that save fuel, reduce emissions and make driving more comfortable has drawn the attention of a steadily enlarging proportion of the automaker market. We are most grateful for our customers' confidence in our capabilities and for their partnership in our growth."

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, Mich. 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.

About Faurecia North America

Faurecia North America had sales of $6 billion in 2012. Faurecia has 37 production sites, six technical centers, two customer centers and a shared services center in the United States, Canada and Mexico and employs more than 20,000 people in the region. Connect with the company in North America on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/faureciaNA), Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/faurecia_NA) and Pinterest (http://www.Pinterest.com/FaureciaNA).

About Faurecia

Faurecia is the world's sixth largest automotive supplier with four key Business Groups: Automotive Seating, Emissions Control Technologies, Interior Systems and Automotive Exteriors. In 2012, the Group posted total sales of $22.5 billion. It employs 94,000 people in 34 countries at 320 sites and 30 R&D centers. Faurecia is listed on the NYSE Euronext Paris stock exchange and trades in the U.S. over-the-counter (OTC) market. For more information, visit: www.faurecia.com

SOURCE Faurecia