IAA Voices: Interview FORVIA

FORVIA combines the complementary technology and industrial strengths of Faurecia and HELLA to become the 7th global automotive supplier. With over 300 industrial sites and 77 R&D centers, 150,000 people, including more than 35,000 engineers across 40+ countries, FORVIA provides a unique and comprehensive approach to the automotive challenges of today and tomorrow. Composed of 6 business groups with 24 product lines, and a strong IP portfolio of over 14,000 patents, FORVIA is focused on becoming the preferred innovation and integration partner for OEMS worldwide. FORVIA aims to be a change maker committed to foreseeing and making the mobility transformation happen. In 2022, FORVIA is the first automotive industry company to receive the Science Based Target initiatives (SBTi) certification meaning that the company will be carbon net-zero by 2045. Patrick Koller is the CEO of Faurecia.

What does FORVIA stand for and what should every IAA visitor know about the company?

FORVIA is the world’s 7th largest global automotive supplier. This means more than 1 out of 2 vehicles worldwide is equipped with our technologies and products. Our acquisition of German lighting and electronics specialist HELLA brings us in the position to achieve scale and scope necessary to perform on the global market with more than €33bn sales targeted by 2025. FORVIA is a group of 150 000 energetic talents, across more than 40 countries, who share strong values. At FORVIA, we believe that mobility is at the heart of people’s lives and what matters to them. We want to bring more than technology to the market: we want to bring experiences – a more sustainable, affordable, comfortable, customized mobility.

FORVIA has a company culture centered on our customers and focused on continually improving how we serve them. It is our priority to guide our customers towards sustainable mobility. Not only because new regulations are coming into force around the world, and demand for clean mobility & transportation is rising. We strongly believe in a decarbonized mobility of tomorrow, and we will continue tackling climate change through our leading technologies, especially in the heavy-duty sector.

Our strategy is aligned with the megatrends shaping our industry: electrification and energy management, safe and automated driving, digital and sustainable cockpit experiences.

We target an ambitious and sustainable growth – aiming for CO2 neutrality in operations by 2025 and net zero from 2045, a commitment approved by SBTi, the Science-Based Targets initiative (a collaboration between the Carbon Disclosure Project, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature). All in all, I would be happy if each IAA transportation visitor would remember for long that we pioneer technology for mobility experiences that matter to people. A group ready to anticipate and drive the mobility transition.

What is the company's most important project for 2022/23?

FORVIA will continue to develop though the lens of sustainability. In 2020, we made a commitment to become CO2-neutral in our operations by 2025. At the end of last year, our plants already reach a 64% waste recycling rate. The percentage of recycled content in new products will be 40% in 2025 which is up from 30% in 2019. By taking the reference 2019, we will be able to save 22% of our electricity consumption in 2023. We invested in 1 million square meters of solar panels on all our sites in the world. We target €1,1bn cumulated investment for sustainable technologies for 2021-2025 for every step of the zero-emission transition, from ultra-low emission powertrain technologies to power and energy management for battery and fuel cell electric vehicles.

The newly designed IAA TRANSPORTATION is a platform and meeting place for transport and logistics companies from all over the world. What makes the trade show so appealing to you?

Time flew after the last IAA Transportation in 2018. Not only the world had to adapt to new challenges, but also new technologies and businesses have developed quickly in the last 4 years.

We are excited to be part of this exhibition because of its innovative concept as well as its vast international supporters. We will present FORVIA’s Cryogenic Hydrogen Storage solution for the first time, highlighting the innovative capabilities of the company. It is suited for intensive usage and large autonomy of ranges of up to 1,000 kilometres. This sub cooled liquid hydrogen storage system is co-developed with Air Liquide. We will demonstrate our system capabilities in terms of heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles, being able to provide to our customers the full hydrogen drivetrain, including a versatile complete hydrogen storage system, with 80 kg of gaseous hydrogen stored, and Symbio’s 150kW fuel cell stack. FORVIA, with Symbio, supports OEMs with complete Hydrogen System for Light Commercial Vehicles and large-scale Heavy-Duty commercial vehicle. Furthermore, we are anticipating the growing demand of all commercial vehicles, particularly in growing markets like China and India, where regulations are converging towards European and North American standards. One of our leading solutions is the Heated Doser, which contributes to ultra-low NOx emissions by operating efficiently even at low temperatures and are compatible with current and future aftertreatment architectures. We have also a strong expertise in our Special Applications segment, with technology developed by HELLA, for example: LED lighting systems, Intelligent battery sensor and inductive sensor for accelerator pedal.

What can IAA visitors look forward to at your stand in particular?

The central highlight of FORVIA's presence is a demo truck. Visitors of our booth can experience it live in action. We’ve created a touchpoint of FORVIA's innovative strength. The nearly full-size truck model showcases around 30 lighting and electronics products from HELLA, as well as complete hydrogen and seating solutions from Faurecia for a sophisticated and sustainable mobility of the future.

The coming years are all about transformation. Where will the transport and logistics industry be in 2030 - and what milestones do you want to have achieved by then?

The world faces tremendous challenges impacting mobility: climate change, access to materials equipment, technology. Those are challenges that matter to people. Not only we have to propose solutions, but we also need to anticipate the future needs! To shape the future of mobility, we are focusing on 3 megatrends: electrification and energy management, safe and automated driving, digital and sustainable cockpit experiences. To give you a few examples of our acceleration, FORVIA achieved 15 billion euros in order intake in the first semester of 2022 with major first orders of technologies for electrification and automated driving, such as high voltage DC/DC converters, X-by-wire solutions, and front panel vision systems. We also continued to be a go-to partner for a more customized and eco-designed cockpit, recording significant contract awards for interiors, seating, display, and lighting solutions featuring lightweight, energy efficient, low CO2 components and sustainable materials. Those efforts will pay off and we will continue to speed up.

 

Biography:

Patrick Koller is the CEO of Faurecia. He joined Faurecia in December 2006 and was appointed Executive Vice President, Faurecia Automotive Seating. He became Chief Operating Officer in February 2015 before being appointed Chief Executive Officer in July 2016. At the beginning of the year, he finalized the acquisition of HELLA to create FORVIA, 7th global automotive supplier. In numbers, FORVIA is a 150.000 employees’ company and more than 1 out of 2 vehicles globally equipped with FORVIA products. He is member of the Boards of Faurecia and Legrand and the Collège de France Foundation. He is also vice chairman of Hella Shareholder Committee. Early 2000, he joined Rhodia (now Solvay) as President of Polyamide Intermediates. Three years later he was promoted Group Operations Executive Vice President. He began his automotive career at VDO (now part of Continental) in 1990. Within HELLA and Valeo, Patrick held growing general management positions in France, Germany and in the UK. Patrick Koller holds a degree in engineering from Polytech Nancy (École Supérieure des Sciences et Technologies de l'Ingénieur de Nancy).