Shanghai (ZXZC)- On July 18, global automotive technology supplier FORVIA, in collaboration with Chinese automaker BYD, inaugurated a new seat assembly plant in Rayong, Thailand.

Photo credit: FORVIA

According to the plan, the new plant will go into mass production one month after its inauguration, manufacturing complete seats for BYD's BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles), including the BYD ATTO 3 (known as "Yuan PLUS" in China) and the Song PLUS. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 180,000 complete seat sets at full capacity.

Since 2017, FORVIA and BYD have established seven plants in China, with an annual capacity of 2.6 million seats, and have also set up an R&D center in Shenzhen.

FORVIA highlighted the promising outlook for the Asian market, projecting that Asia, including India, will account for 60% of global vehicle production by 2025. In 2023, FORVIA achieved sales of 7.4 billion euros in Asia and currently employs over 40,000 people across the region.

FORVIA, BYD's Thailand plant; photo credit:  FORVIA

The new plant's investment entity is Shenzhen Faurecia Automotive Parts Co., Ltd., a joint venture established by Faurecia and BYD in 2017, with FORVIA holding a majority stake in the joint venture.

Christophe Schmitt, Executive Vice President of FORVIA's Seating Business Group, stated that the commencement of production at this new assembly plant marks a significant milestone in FORVIA's expansion in Asia. "This strategic leap strengthens FORVIA's operations in Thailand, positioning it as an export hub for the Asia-Pacific region," Schmitt said.