Valeo, a French global auto parts manufacturer, is proposing to invest about ₹1,000 crore for the expansion of its operations in the Chennai region in the next 5-6 years and will be hiring about 3,000 people during the period. The company will expand its production facilities in Tamil Nadu, both for the current product range as also for new technologies. It is also looking to grow its aftermarket operations through expanded distribution networks and service centres in Tamil Nadu.
It will also increase the headcount at its Chennai Global Technical Centre, which serves as a hub for research, development, and innovation. The centre currently employs about 3,700 engineers. The proposed headcount addition, which the company didn’t disclose, is to support Valeo’s growth plans in electronics and software domains.
R&D engineers from India have contributed to more than 365 patent first filings to date and the number continues to grow, said a statement.
Electric mobility
The company has also been focusing on the electric mobility segment in India. The Group has also been chosen by Mahindra & Mahindra to provide the electric powertrain for a certain range of their ’Born Electric‘ passenger vehicle platform and onboard charger combo for their electric utility vehicles. With R&D centers in Chennai and Bangalore, Valeo is a key player in providing ADAS solutions to tier-1 automotive OEMs across the globe.
“We have been in Tamil Nadu for over 25 years and in the last 15 years we have established a Global Tech Center for our R&D and software activities. We further plan to expand our operations and R&D in the upcoming years,” said Jayakumar G, Group President & Managing Director, Valeo India.
In India, Valeo started its footprint in 1997 in Chennai for manufacturing clutch and friction-facing materials. With the first R&D Centre established in Chennai in 2005 for powertrain systems, Valeo expanded operations to multiple segments over the years.