Valeo Files Record Number of Patents in 2010

PARIS, February 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Valeo announces that it filed a record number of patents in 2010. The Group filed 612 initial patents throughout the year, an increase of more than 20% versus the average of the past five years. This places Valeo among the top patent filers in France.

CEO Jacques Aschenbroich declared: "This performance reflects Valeo's dynamic research and development policy. It is an illustration of the Group's growth strategy based on the development of innovative technologies within a context of major technological change in the automotive industry, particularly in the area of electric drivetrains."

In this highly competitive environment, and despite the crisis that highly impacted the entire global automotive industry, Valeo has continued to take all necessary actions to protect its innovations and strengthen its technological and commercial positions.

Valeo has oriented its R&D towards two key areas of strategic growth: reduced vehicle CO2 emissions and the specificities of Asian and emerging markets. The Group has nearly 6,300 R&D engineers and technicians working in 20 research centers mainly in France and 38 development centers close to our customers. Their aim is to satisfy consumers' needs in terms of low-consumption vehicles and solutions adapted to emerging markets.

Valeo is an independent industrial Group fully focused on the design, production and sale of components, integrated systems and modules for the automotive industry, mainly for CO2 emissions reduction. Valeo ranks among the world's top automotive suppliers. The Group has 110 plants, 20 Research centers, 38 Development centers, 10 distribution platforms and employs 57,300 people in 27 countries worldwide.

For more information about the Valeo Group and its activities, please visit our web site

http://www.valeo.com

SOURCE Valeo