Chennai: French auto component major, the €11.6-billion turnover Faurecia will set up plant to make seating mechanism near New Delhi.

Ranked eighth amongst the world's auto component suppliers, Faurecia is present in six segments - seats, doors, cockpits, front ends, acoustic packages and exhaust systems. It operates 190 plants in 28 countries, with India becoming the 29th country for the French group.

The French group is showcasing its product range at the 9th Auto Expo being held in New Delhi, as part of 15 French companies exhibiting their products and services, through UBIFRANCE, the French agency for international business development.
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The Indian plant will cater mainly to the needs of of India's largest car company, Maruti Suzuki India Limited.

"We supply seat mechanisms for Maruti's Swift and SX4 models out of our Chinese plant," said James Desban, India general manager and director, Faurecia Automotive Seating India Pvt Ltd (FASI), Bangalore. "With the bagging of orders for two proposed models from Maruti we have decided set up a production base in India."

"The Indian automobile market is growing and it cannot be ignored," he said and added, According to him the group is also talking with other Indian car manufacturers for its other products. "We are discussing with General Motors India to supply exhaust systems for its new model," Desban said.

The plans are at an early stage and the French firm has yet to finalise the capacity of the plant and the investment required.  

Other French companies at the Auto Expo are, Allio, Ateliers des Janves, CCI Alsace International, Clemessy, Danielson, Dourdin, Electricfil, GNFA, Interlogistic, Lohr Industries, Mecaplast, MGI Coutier, Protechnic Thermoplase and SNECI.