Faurecia, a global leader in providing engineering solutions and automotive components, has inaugurated in Pune its state-of-the-art TechCenter for automotive interior systems, automotive seating and automotive exteriors, three of its four business groups and key to the enhanced performance and competitiveness of tomorrow's passenger vehicles. The inauguration took place in the presence of Honourable Consul General of France in Mumbai, Jean-Rapha?l Peytregnet and special guest Mrs Lila Poonawalla of the Lila Poonawalla Foundation.

As a key partner to automakers, Faurecia believes that being close to its customer base is critical for long-term success. The TechCenter is designed to accommodate 800 of India's brightest automotive engineers. It is a fully integrated facility with CAD/CAE (Computer Aided Design & Engineering) & PPV (Product and Process Validation) activities and will help in expanding its three core business groups in India, i.e., Interior Systems, Automotive Seating and Automotive Exteriors.

Every year, the group's R&D teams at the TechCenters in India mastermind over 200 innovation led projects focusing on safety, comfort, interior space management, environmental performance, perceived quality and cost control. Globally, Faurecia has registered 300 patents during the year 2011. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Christophe Schmitt, Executive Vice President of Faurecia Interior Systems said, "Faurecia is growing faster than the automotive market, enjoys solid growth potential, benefits from a diverse regional and customer mix and is continuously improving its cost structure. Our new TechCenter in India is an extension of our commitment to the Indian consumers and our growing customer base in the country. Our aim is to develop high quality, high safety and high comfort products at this centre."

The new Faurecia TechCenter is part of a global network of R&D centres around the world, under the helm of Mr Nicolas Pechnyk, Vice President of Engineering, Faurecia Interior Systems who underlines, "Since the inception of this TechCenter in 2004, Faurecia's engineering teams in India have developed the most-advanced automotive skills to perform the full-range of development activities for customers at home and abroad. The new TechCenter in Pune is an instrumental part of our global R&D and engineering footprint."

Mr Franck Euvrard, Managing Director, Faurecia Interior Systems India reveals "The systems and technologies developed in India are in keeping with the overall Group strategy for its global requirements; India for us at Faurecia, is marked by a long-term commitment to grow teams and locations, to operate as centres of excellence, capable of developing hi-tech solutions for Faurecia's global and local customer base. Everything from investment in infrastructure, recruitment of young engineers, comprehensive training processes and quality is testimony to Faurecia's long term growth plans in India."