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5. Faurecia SE Business Report FY ended Dec. 2018

Faurecia SE Business Report FY ended Dec. 2018

Factors

1) Net Sales
-The Company’s sales for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, totaled EUR 17,524.7 million, an increase of 3.3% over the previous year. All three of the Company’s Business Group’s had significant increases in organic sales during the fiscal year, which were only partially offset by negative currency translation effects.

2) Operating Income
-In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, the Company’s operating income increased by 10.0% compared to the previous year to EUR 1,273.9 million. The Company’s operating income and operating margin increased across all three of its Business Groups.

Acquisitions

Acquisition of Parrot Automotive (Notes are in chronological order)
-The Company and Parrot have finalized a proposal concerning the takeover of 100% of Parrot Automotive by the Company, ahead of schedule. This transaction would accelerate the development of infotainment solutions based on the Android OS by Parrot Automotive and the development of an open platform integrating the different connected systems and functionalities of the vehicle interior. This will also facilitate the introduction of innovative and differentiating user experiences such as for postural and thermal comfort, immersive sound experience and new HMI solutions. The transaction would be based on an enterprise value of EUR 100 million, identical to that used when the Company entered into the capital of Parrot Automotive in 2017. The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of 2018. (From a press release on July 6, 2018)

-The Company completed the acquisition of 100% of Parrot Faurecia Automotive. The deal follows the announcement of an agreement between Parrot and the Company on July 5, 2018 regarding the proposal to acquire Parrot. (From a press release on October 1, 2018)

Acquisition of Clarion (Notes are in chronological order)
-On October 25, the Company finalized plans to purchase Clarion Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi agreed to sell its 63.8% stake in Clarion based on the Company’s tender offer, which corresponds to a total purchase price of JPY 141 billion. The Company will purchase Clarion to strengthen the development of autonomous driving and other next-generation technologies.  (From articles in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on October 26 and October 27, 2018) (From a press release on October 26, 2018)

-Atsushi Kawabata, President and CEO of Clarion Co., Ltd. (Clarion), told the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun that Clarion plans to realize substantial synergy effects from its collaboration with the Company, within three years. Clarion is facing difficulties due to market sluggishness and increased competitiveness for its car navigation system business, and is aiming to achieve positive growth through work with the Company, which has been successfully engaged in business with European automakers. Kawabata emphasized, “We want our customers to look forward to an improvement in our ability to make proposals as a result of this collaboration.” (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on November 15, 2018)

Restructuring

-On August 30, the Company will close its automotive seating plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, and transfer those operations to a facility in Puebla. The relocation plans announced to employees on July 27 said, “The decision has been widely analyzed and is solely and exclusively due to a geographical restructuring of the company's operations in the country, which will allow it to be more efficient.” The Company’s other plant in Ramos Arizpe, which manufactures interiors, will not be affected. (From a Mexico-Now article on August 13, 2018)

-The Company announced that its board of directors decided to submit a proposal to shareholders to convert the Company as a "European Company" (Societas Europaea, SE). This proposed transformation will better reflect the Company’s European scope. Approximately half of the Company’s sales currently come from Europe, where the Group has around 45,000 employees – including 10,000 in France - in 110 production sites and 13 R&D centers. The proposed change will have no impact on the headquarters. In fact, a new global headquarters building is under construction in Nanterre, France, and will be ready in the second half of 2018. The new status would involve no significant changes for Faurecia employees or shareholders. The proposal will be submitted to the approval of shareholders at the Annual Shareholders Meeting on May 29, 2018. (From a press release on February 16, 2018)

Joint Ventures

-The Company announced a new 50:50 joint venture with Liuzhou Wuling Automotive Industry Co., Ltd., China named Faurecia (Liuzhou) Emissions Control Technologies Co., Ltd. The joint venture aims to achieve annual sales of RMB 600 million by 2023. The joint venture will cover all of Wuling Industry’s emissions control systems business, integrating four plants located in Liuzhou Liudong, Liuzhou Hexi, Chongqing and Qingdao. Through the joint venture, the Company and Wuling Industry will focus on a comprehensive strategic cooperation in the area of automotive emissions control systems, leveraging resources from both companies to develop innovative clean mobility solutions for SAIC GM Wuling Automobile Co., Ltd. (SGMW) and manufacturers which are subsidiaries of SGMW in China. (From a press release on October 25, 2018)

Recent Developments

-TactoTek announced that the Company has signed a licensing agreement to design and manufacture Injection Molded Structural Electronics (IMSE) solutions for its automotive customers. The Company is persistently investing in ‘plastronics’—integrating electronic functions into plastics and decorative surfaces. IMSE solutions seamlessly integrate printed circuitry and electronic components within 3D injection molded plastics. Surface materials include durable cosmetic plastics and elegant natural materials, including natural wood. TactoTek’s primary business model is licensing its IMSE technology to manufacturers who have direct relationships with OEMs. Each licensee differentiates their IMSE-based solutions in the marketplace with specific target use cases and individual approaches to industrial design, styling, integration and surface treatments. (From a press release on December 19, 2018)

-The Company plans to double the sales of its automotive interior parts business to Japanese automakers by 2024. The Company opened a research and development center in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, in April 2018 to promptly meet customer needs. In addition, the Company intends to enhance its ability to offer automotive interior parts by utilizing the expertise of Clarion Co., Ltd., which will be its wholly owned subsidiary next spring. Faurecia plans to increase total sales to Japanese automakers by 1.5 times its current figure to EUR 3 billion by 2024. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on December 12, 2018)

-The Company aims to raise its automotive business sales from Japanese automakers from its current level of EUR 2.1 billion to EUR 3 billion by 2024. The Company's subsidiary, Faurecia Japan K.K., will strengthen its human resources, and produce catalytic converters in order to expand sales. Japanese automakers have developed new procurement policies to obtain automotive parts from both group suppliers and non-group suppliers. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on June 22, 2018)

-The Company will expand its clean mobility business targeting Japanese automakers. Its clean mobility business proposes solutions for electric vehicles, fuel-cell vehicles, and emissions control for internal combustion engines. The Company will begin producing catalyst converters in Japan from 2020 in collaboration with a Japanese company and is also considering setting up a research and development facility for its clean mobility business. Currently, the Company’s Clean Mobility's global market share in terms of sales to Japanese automakers stands at 4%. The Company will strengthen its production and development operations, aiming to increase its market share to 20% by 2025. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on May 22, 2018)

Contracts

-The Company will equip two of GM’s pickup trucks, the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra, with its Resonance Free Pipe (RFP). The RFP reduces weight and packaging complexity by eliminating resonators and is best-suited for pickup truck and light commercial vehicles. The technology is produced in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Silao, Mexico. The RFP is a finalist for the 2019 Automotive News PACE Awards. (From a press release on November 6, 2018)

-The Company was recently awarded a record contract for its seating business by BMW Group. This order represents the highest single order intake ever for the Company in terms of sales volume. The contract includes just-in-time (JIT) assembly for 7 vehicles, as well as seat structures for 10 vehicles on two major platforms including MINI and the BMW 2 Series. This represents a JIT assembly and seat frames business for over 6 million vehicles. In order to reduce the number of interfaces and complexity, BMW opted for a vertical integration strategy, entrusting key components such as frames, covers and foams to the Company, the current supplier for the JIT business. (From a press release on March 28, 2018)

-The Company announced that its NAFILean lightweight hemp-based biomaterials are increasingly adopted by OEMs. In response, the Company has developed new figures showing the significant energy and environmental benefits of the innovative breakthrough. Following their initial registration with Peugeot PSA, the biomaterials are now being used in the car parts of six OEMs. One of the latest is Byton’s electric SUV. The biomaterials are being reviewed by OEMs for additional vehicles and production is projected to triple in the next three years. (From a press release on March 14, 2018)

-Byton, a new Chinese automaker specializing in electric cars, revealed a first concept vehicle with a full cockpit designed in partnership with the Company. The concept is an electric crossover which is expected to debut on the Chinese market in 2019, before going on sale in the U.S. The Company supplies complete front and rear seats for this vehicle, from trim covers to foams and even assembly. The seat incorporates the world’s first swivel function, providing new interior configurations to ensure that the occupant is comfortable at all times. The Company also supplies other elements of the cockpit, such as the instrument panel. (From a press release on January 24, 2018)

Awards

-The Company was honored with an Innovation award at the 2018 Groupe Renault Suppliers event. The award recognizes the Company’s Cockpit of the Future vision and contribution to the Renault’s scale 1 demonstrator representing its 2025 vision for an urban, level-4 autonomous and electrified vehicle. The Groupe Renault also awarded the Company and its interiors business group in the “Excellence Manufacturing” category for its plant based at Pitesti in Romania. This facility manufactures instrument panels, door panels, acoustic and soft trims for Dacia. (From a press release on June 26, 2018)

-The Hyundai-Kia Motor Company (HKMC) awarded Faurecia Korea with the “Best Supplier 2017” award and the Quality 5 STAR certification. HKMC's Best Supplier award is meant to recognize the excellence of quality, research and development, and logistics of its best supplier. It is rare for a global company to receive this prize among local suppliers, and is the first time that Faurecia Korea has received this award. The 5 STAR certification is the highest honor in the manufacturer’s quality system. After evaluating its suppliers, Hyundai-Kia selected the Company for its outstanding performance and high-quality management system. (From a press release on January 30, 2018)

-Wuhan Faurecia Tongda Exhaust System Co., Ltd., a joint venture between the Company and Wanxiang Tongda Co., Ltd., received a special contribution award from Dongfeng-Peugeot-Citroen Automobile Co., Ltd. (From a press release on January 29, 2018)

Outlook

-Excluding both the effects the Company’s change in net sales in the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019 is expected to exceed that of the year-to-year change in automotive production by 1.5 to 3.5 percentage points.

-The Company announced that it aims to achieve EUR 30 billion of sales by 2025, representing a CAGR of above 8% vs. 2020. These sales include EUR 6.8 billion from new value spaces in sustainable mobility and smart life on board. After three years of record order intake, the Company has secured growth of above 7% CAGR, including a 2% annual market growth assumption, between 2017 and 2020 to reach sales of over EUR 20 billion. The Company will double its sales in China to reach EUR 4.5 billion in the country. The Company has already received EUR 1.5 billion of orders from customers for its new smart life on board technologies. By 2025, these sales will reach EUR 4.2 billion, showing an average annual growth rate between 2020 and 2025 of 33%. (From a press release on May 15, 2018)

R&D Structure

-The Company has 7,300 engineers and technicians working in 35 R&D centers.

R&D Facilities

-The Company announced the opening of a new tech center in Yokohama, Japan, for all of its business groups. With this strengthened presence, the Company will accelerate the development of technologies for smart life on board and sustainable mobility by reinforcing customer relationships and establishing new technology partnerships. This center will help Japanese automakers support their technology transformation especially regarding the themes of the cockpit of the future and powertrain electrification. (From a press release on April 10, 2018)

-The Company announced that reinforcing its innovation ecosystem is one of its top 2018 priorities following the January launch of its new technical center in Silicon Valley. The Company opened the doors of its new technical center for two days in January inviting parties engaged with future mobility development. (From a press release on March 6, 2018)

R&D Activities

Investments in companies for Cockpit of the Future concept
-The Company announced an investment in ESP Consulting, an innovative French lab that uses cognitive science to optimize human well-being and performance in different situations. The Company’s wishes to better assess the human impact of its technologies for predictive and personalized use cases inside the cockpit. ESP Consulting will provide a credible scientific platform and greater insight into human factors. This will enable the Company to offer innovative wellness solutions designed primarily to improve postural comfort, diminish fatigue, reduce stress and eliminate motion sickness. (From a press release on December 19, 2018)

-Vayyar Imaging announced that the Company has chosen Vayyar’s revolutionary radar sensors for their Cockpit of the Future concept. Vayyar and the Company will work together to bring this enhanced passenger experience to a state ready for mass production. The integration of these technologies provides constant interior monitoring for passengers, providing increased convenience and safety. Vayyar’s unique high-resolution sensor is powerful enough to cover the entire cabin even if concealed in various locations, without compromising on design aesthetics. (From a press release on October 2, 2018)

-The Company announced an investment in the startup Subpac, reinforcing the Company’s ecosystem dedicated to a personalized, versatile and connected Cockpit of the Future. Based in Silicon Valley, Subpac has developed a hardware and software technology platform that provides a deeply immersive and customized music and media experience by silently transferring low frequencies directly to the body. The Company will integrate this technology into the seat as part of the concept’s personalized audio bubble system. Driver safety is another key application of the Subpac platform, acting as a critical part of advanced driver assistance systems to communicate with the driver, enabling faster response times. (From a press release on July 24, 2018)

-The Company announced an investment in the American startup Promethient, reinforcing the Company’s ecosystem with thermal management technologies for future mobility solutions. Based in Traverse City, Michigan, Promethient designs and produces Thermavance, a climate control technology that is adaptable for multiple vehicle thermal use cases. This investment is made by Faurecia Ventures, which advances the Company’s innovation strategy by identifying, incubating and investing in startups with relevant technologies for Sustainable Mobility and Smart Life on Board. (From a press release on May 23, 2018)

-The Company announced an investment in Powersphyr, a Silicon Valley startup to accelerate the Company’s solutions for a smart and connected Cockpit of the Future. Powersphyr is a leading provider of innovative wireless charging solutions focused on automotive, consumer, and industrial markets. This investment was made by Faurecia Ventures, which advances the Company’s innovation strategy by identifying, incubating and investing in startups with relevant technologies for Sustainable Mobility and Smart Life on Board. (From a press release on May 9, 2018)

Other activities
-The Company announced that it has teamed up with business accelerator Emprenderock and the Businesses Coordinator Council in Mexico to scout and support up to 20 startups focused in technological automotive solutions. The pilot program focuses on projects with automotive applications, ranging from advanced material development to environmental impact mitigation and safety improvement. The first phase of the program has already begun and will end on November 2. According to the Company, five of the most viable ideas will be finalists, and the winner will obtain a business sponsorship with a USD 8,400 investment. The Company intends to integrate some of the startups into real projects for its long-term production chain. (From Mexico-Now article on October 8, 2018)

-The Company announced an investment in the French startup Enogia in order to enhance its expertise in energy recovery technology. Founded in 2009 and based in Marseille, Enogia, which employs 30 people, has developed and patented a hermetic, compact high-speed turbine that recovers heat and converts it into electricity. Enogia’s technologies are well suited to commercial vehicles, trucks and high horsepower engines used in marine transport and generators. The Compnay’s investment will enable it to grow rapidly in these market segments. (From a press release on March 16, 2018)

Technological Alliance

-Hella and the Company announced that they will cooperate in a strategic partnership for the development of innovative interior lighting solutions. Both companies will jointly develop lighting with high-technology content focusing on surface lighting and dynamic lighting for a more personalized cockpit environment. The Company will contribute its expertise as a complete system integrator for vehicle interiors while Hella supplies innovative products in the field of interior lighting. At the Paris Motor Show in October 2018, the Company and Hella showcased a first demonstration of a unique ambient lighting experience for a more comfortable, dynamic and versatile environment integrated into a Cockpit of the future. (From a press release on November 21, 2018)

-The Company has established an ecosystem that incorporates alliances with industry leaders, startups and academic institutions. For its Cockpit of the Future concept, the Company has integrated the technologies developed by HELLA to create a unique ambient lighting experience for a more comfortable, dynamic and versatile environment. The Company and HELLA have also devised a series of dynamic lighting features to enhance driver information and safety during autonomous driving. The Company and ZF have developed an all-new frame concept for front and rear seats called the Advanced Versatile Structure (AVS), which provides passengers with a safety cocoon in all front and rear seat positions. The Group has also forged partnerships with specialists to offer high-performance solutions for three critical components representing 80% of the total value of fuel-cell technology: the tank with STELIA Aerospace Composites, the high-pressure valve system that manages the hydrogen supply with French startup Ad-Venta, and the fuel-cell stack with the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). (From a press release on October 3, 2018)

-Solvay, Premium AEROTEC and the Company’s Clean Mobility business group launched IRG CosiMo (Industry Research Group: Composites for Sustainable Mobility). IRG CosiMo is the industry’s first private consortium focusing on the development of materials and process technologies that will enable high volume production of thermoplastic composites for automotive markets. Composite adoption, industrialization and accelerating automotive and aerospace ramp rates are all key focus areas that will be addressed by the consortium. Premium AEROTEC, the Company and ITA Augsburg are also part of an upcoming large project consortium in the Campus Carbon 4.0 program of the Free State of Bavaria, Germany. (From a press release on August 2, 2018)

-The Company signed a strategic partnership agreement with FAW Group. The collaboration will develop solutions and services for the cockpit of the future, emphasizing an intuitive and personalized user experience, especially for Hongqi, FAW’s luxury brand. The two groups will also collaborate in the fields of industrial design and perceived quality for Hongqi. Both companies will work towards the development of connected, versatile and predictive solutions for seats which respond to different use cases and modes of driving. They will also develop equipment for zero emission and air quality improvement technologies for passenger and commercial vehicles, in the field of battery systems, fuel cell systems, and lightweight composites. (From a press release on June 11, 2018)

-The Company announced that CNRS, Inria and PSL University, together with itself, Amazon, Criteo, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, NAVER LABS, Nokia Bell Labs, PSA Group, SUEZ and Valeo are joining their academic and industrial perspective to create the PRAIRIE Institute in Paris. The institute’s objective is to become an international reference in the field of artificial intelligence. They are pursuing three goals: to make a significant contribution to driving progress in fundamental knowledge in artificial intelligence freely distributed among the international scientific community, to take part in solving concrete problems with a major application-related impact and to contribute to training in the field of artificial intelligence. (From a press release on March 30, 2018)

-The Company and Clean Air Asia are partnering to explore effective technology solutions to improve air quality and enhance industry awareness of clean city solutions. The strengthened collaboration will be focused on three key aspects across Asia:

• Clean Cities Initiative: Utilizing Clean Air Asia’s extensive regional air quality network and its years of experience in guiding national and city-level air pollution reduction, the Company will provide its air quality management solutions.
• Clean Fleets Initiative: The Company will bring its expertise in eco-driving and emissions reduction solutions to support Clean Air Asia’s Green Freight and Logistics Program.
• Communication: The Company and Clean Air Asia will facilitate multi-stakeholder actions to manage air pollution at the city level. (From a press release on March 7, 2018

-The Company and Accenture announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding for a five-year collaboration to accelerate innovation for mobility services. The two companies will combine their innovation expertise and co-invest to develop products and services for connected and autonomous vehicles. They will focus initially on two areas: cognitive technologies to reinvent the on-board user experience, and services to enhance health and wellness. They also intend to leverage digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, augmented and virtual reality, blockchain and quantum computing to further accelerate the Company’s digital transformation. (From a press release on January 5, 2018)

Product Development

Qt framework used for Parrot Faurecia Automotive's Advanced Cockpit Server
-The Company’s subsidiary, Parrot Faurecia Automotive, announced that it has selected the Qt framework and toolchain as its next-generation digital instrument cluster HMI technology. Parrot’s advanced cockpit server will be equipped with Qt-based HMI for digital instrument cluster along with Android OS based in-vehicle infotainment. The Qt device creation framework and toolchain allows fast iterative development from the designers’ vision to target implementation. Qt was selected because of its state-of-the-art cluster capabilities, developer friendliness, rich functionality for multi-OS integration, and its broad usage among developer communities. The Advanced Cockpit Server is open, scalable and can be easily upgraded wirelessly. The first Advanced Cockpit Server will begin production in the second half of 2019 for a premium European carmaker. (From a press release on December 17, 2018)

Technologies showcased at CES 2019
-The Company will demonstrate its technology leadership for smart life on board and sustainable mobility at CES 2019. It will present fuel tank and fuel cell stack technologies developed in partnerships with Stelia Composites and the CEA to combine into a comprehensive solution for both light and commercial vehicles. It will also showcase new surface activation and noise cancellation technologies that enhance audio experiences by isolating specific sounds. Its smart and efficient thermal management and air quality solutions developed with Mahle will also be presented. For seat structures, the Company will showcase new front and rear seat structures and kinematics with specific safety features developed with ZF to optimize individual comfort and safety in all seat positions and orientations of an autonomous car. An electronics system integrating cameras, sensors and artificial intelligence, developed in partnership with Accenture and a fully integrated Cockpit of the Future will also be presented. (From a press release on November 22, 2018)

Individualized voice assistant system
-The Company’s subsidiary, Parrot Faurecia Automotive, showcased its latest technology that provides the driver and the passenger with an individualized voice assistant experience to manage infotainment, navigation and seat functions, ensuring seamless connectivity and comfort. The voice-activated cockpit demonstrator shows Parrot’s unique know-how in software development and electronics design combined with the Company’s systems integration capabilities across the full vehicle interior. Parrot Faurecia Automotive can integrate both offline and online voice assistants. (From a press release on October 4, 2018)

Technologies showcased at 2018 Paris Motor Show
-At the 2018 Paris Motor Show, the Company will showcase its latest and disruptive technologies in its two strategic areas of focus: Smart Life on Board & Sustainable Mobility. Its Smart Life on Board highlights include the world premiere of the Advanced Versatile Seat Structure developed in partnership with ZF. The structure consists of an all-new frame concept for front and rear seats which provides a safety cocoon in all seat positions. Another world premiere consists of integrated innovative sound surface activation technologies and advanced software algorithms into a serial production vehicle to provide a unique immersive sound experience without the use of speakers. For Sustainable Mobility, the Company draws on its extensive experience in systems integration and its partnerships with Stelia Composites, the CEA and Ad-Venta, to combine fuel tank and fuel cell stack technologies into a comprehensive solution for both light and commercial vehicles. The Company has also created the Clean Drive App that will analyze driver’s mobility behavior and give them personalized advice in order to reduce their emissions footprint. (From a press release on September 17, 2018)

SoC and Hypervisor used for Parrot Faurecia Automotive's multi-display cockpit
-Renesas Electronics and OpenSynergy, a market leader in automotive hypervisors, announced that the Renesas’ system-on-chip (SoC) R-Car H3 and OpenSynergy's COQOS Hypervisor SDK have been adopted on Parrot Faurecia Automotive’s safe multi-display cockpit. The latest version of Android is the guest OS of the COQOS Hypervisor, which executes both the instrument cluster functionality, including safety-relevant display elements based on Linux, and the Android-based in-vehicle infotainment on a single R-Car H3 chip. The COQOS Hypervisor SDK shares the R-Car H3 GPU with Android and Linux allowing applications to be presented on multiple displays, enabling a powerful and flexible cockpit system. (From a press release on September 12, 2018)

Technologies showcased at 2018 IAA Commercial Vehicles
-The Company will be showcasing advanced technologies for fuel efficiency, air quality, zero emission and driver well-being at the IAA Commercial Vehicles. The Company aims to industrialize advanced fuel cell technologies by optimizing high-pressure tanks and stacks. The Company is developing lightweight, cost-effective 350- and 700-bar hydrogen tanks in partnership with Stelia Aerospace Composites. The Company has developed a particularly powerful and weight-optimized de-NOx system called ASDS for buses and trucks that eliminates up to 99% of nitrogen oxide pollutants. The Electrically-Heated Catalyst (EHC) technology is a system that activates the catalyst in low-temperature phases, using electric energy to heat up exhaust gases. The Company is also presenting its vision of Ultra-Low NOx architectures compliant with new regulations such as CARB and Euro VII. (From a press release on August 30, 2018)

Display and operating concept for autonomous vehicles
-The Company and ZF have created a visionary operating and display concept for fully automated vehicles without a steering wheel and pedals. The screen-based display and operating concept offers high flexibility and simplifies work while driving. The concept allows drivers to decide between the left and right front seat through a center console control lever, even in manual mode. The driver can manually control the vehicle through an integrated control lever in the Trendsetting Cockpit. This makes it possible to accelerate, brake and change direction with one finger. The secondary driving functions in the Trendsetting Cockpit display unit such as turn indicators, horn and windshield wipers can also be activated from either side of the vehicle via a centrally positioned touchscreen. The traditional operating and design elements are no longer there. Instead, two additional screens are integrated into the left and right sides of the dashboard. (From a press release on June 26, 2018)

OpenSynergy's COQOS Hypervisor SDK used in NIS 8X00 infotainment system
-The Company’s subsidiary, Parrot Faurecia Automotive, announced its new partnership with OpenSynergy. Parrot’s new infotainment system, the NIS 8X00, will be equipped with OpenSynergy’s COQOS Hypervisor SDK to become a fully scalable platform. The NIS 8X00 can simultaneously run several operating systems on a single System-on-Chip, effectively and safely separating Android from safety functions such as displaying indicators on the instrument cluster display. OpenSynergy provides software products for the next generation of vehicles. Its hypervisor platforms and vehicle communication product line pave the way for an integrated driving experience. OpenSynergy is a market leader in the automotive software industry, especially in the area of hypervisors and Bluetooth. (From a press release on June 19, 2018)

Technologies showcased at Hannover Messe 2018
-The Company will take part in the Hannover Messe trade show for the first time and will demonstrate fuel cell solutions that support the automotive industry’s evolution toward zero-emission mobility. The Company aims to improve and industrialize fuel cell technology for the automotive industry by optimizing the high-pressure tank and the stack. The Company draws on its extensive experience in systems integration to combine storage, pressure management and fuel cell stack technologies into a comprehensive solution for light and commercial vehicles. Technologies showcased at Hannover Messe include the high-pressure hydrogen storage system and the fuel cell stack. (From a press release on April 19, 2018)

Investments outside France

<Japan>
-On November 22, the Company announced that it will establish a new plant in Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture. This will be the Company’s first stand-alone plant in Japan. The Company will invest JPY 1.27 billion in the new plant, which will begin manufacturing catalytic converters in April 2020 for Japanese OEMs. The Company will run clean mobility operations at the new plant, developing exhaust systems, thermal management systems, and components for electric and fuel cell vehicles. The new plant will span approximately 7,000 square meters and employ 120 workers. It will be equipped with a solar panel over 350 square meters in size. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on November 24, 2018)

<U.S.>
-The Company will invest more than USD 30 million for new operations in Spring Hill, Tennessee for its Interior Systems business group. The new 145,000-square-foot facility will manufacture door panel assemblies. (From Tennessee Department of Economic Development release on August 28, 2018)

-The Company announced that it is investing USD 11 million to open a 73,000-square-foot production facility in Toledo, Ohio. The new facility will officially begin production activity in April 2019, and ramp up to full production within a few months. The project is contingent on final approvals at the state and local level. Located near the FCA Jeep plant in Toledo, the Company plans to manufacture and assemble full instrument panels using the latest technologies at its new facility. (From a press release on July 12, 2018)

<India>
-The Company’s Interior Systems business group laid the foundation for its new plant in Kia Motors India’s Vendor Park in Ammavarupalli, Andhra Pradesh. The Company will invest INR 500 million in the new 15,000-square-meter site, leading to the creation of 400 jobs. The plant is scheduled to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2019 and will have a daily production of more than 1,000 instrument panels for Mobis. (Based on press release from Faurecia)

<Korea>
-On May 25, 2018, the Company signed an Additional Investment Agreement with Kyonggi province in South Korea. According to the agreement, Faurecia Korea will invest USD 6 million in the construction of an additional plant spanning 9,685 square meters in Changa, Hwaseong. The Company is planning to produce commercial vehicle emission gas control technology products. (From some releases on May 26, 2018)

<Mexico>
-The Company announced that it inaugurated its 15th plant in Mexico, in San Jose Iturbide, Guanajuato. The Company invested USD 86.2 million in the new 110,000-square-meter facility, which is part of the Company’s Clean Mobility division and will manufacture exhaust systems for GM and FCA. Construction of the plant started in September 2016, with the first phase of operations beginning in November 2017. The site is expected to reach full production capacity by the end of 2018. (From a Mexico-Now article on March 16, 2018)