Foresia (Faurecia)

Faurecia is a French manufacturer of auto components.

Business in Russia

2024: Avtokomponent buys Russian Faurecia plants

On September 2, 2024, it became known that the Nizhny Novgorod group of companies "Autocomponent" bought out two former Russian plants of the French concern Forvia (until 2022 - Faurecia). There is no information on the value of the transaction as of the specified date.

In January 2024, Avtokomponent Group JSC (part of Avtokomponent Group of Companies) filed a petition for the acquisition of voting shares in AFL-Interiors, a manufacturer of auto components that previously belonged to French Faurecia. Previously, the company was called "Foresia Interior Togliatti" and until 2024 was one of the three assets of Faurecia in the Russian Federation. The FAS approved the deal, allowing the Nizhny Novgorod enterprise to acquire 70% of the AFL-Interiors company. This company supplied instrument and door panels, as well as central consoles to the companies of the Renault - Nissan - AvtoVAZ and UAZ alliance.

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The second structure bought by the Avtokomponent group of companies, according to the Samara Review, was Fluoresia Automobile Solutions LLC. This plant specializes in the design and manufacture of seats and armrests for cars, including welding and assembly of metal frames, as well as sewing upholstery. The main client of the company is AvtoVAZ.

According to the Kommersant newspaper, earlier Avtokomponent Group of Companies had repeated disputes with AvtoVAZ, which accused the parts manufacturer of violating supplies. In particular, the proceedings in 2019 are mentioned, when AvtoVAZ suspended production, and the governors of the Samara and Nizhny Novgorod regions intervened in the conflict. Automotive analyst Vladimir Bespalov notes that against the background of the formed geopolitical situation in Russia, there is an active process of replacing imports, and the demand for localized products should be high. AvtoVAZ is increasing production and, "if the products of AFL-Interiors meet in quality, this will provide orders."^[1]

2023

Sale of business in Russia to local top managers

Top managers bought business in Russia from the manufacturer of auto components Faurecia. This became known in mid-August 2023.

According to Kommersant, to conclude a deal, the heads of the Russian representative office of Faurecia created the Format Invest company. 35% in Format Invest is owned by the general director of five Faurecia structures in Russia Tatyana Gromova and the operating director of Faurecia in Russia Olivier Greenenberg, the remaining shares are owned by the site directors in Togliatti Nikolai Afanasyev and Marina Davydenko and the director of sales, programs and engineering Alexander Gorin (data by August 16, 2023).

Top managers bought out Faurecia business in Russia

The company has six legal entities in the Russian Federation (some of them are under reorganization from 2022). These are "Fluoria Interior Luga" (Leningrad Region), "Fluoria Interior Togliatti," "Fluoria Automotive Solutions," "Fluoria Automotive Development" (Kaluga), "Fluoria Environmental Solutions" and "Hell." Three of the Faurecia companies are located in Togliatti, while two of them are sold - the plants "Foresia Interior Togliatti" and "Foresia eco-friendly solutions" (exhaust systems). The business itself is planned to be moved to a new site in the Togliatti SEZ, where the Fluoresia Automobile Solutions LLC (seats, mechanisms for car seats), launched in 2021, is located.

Automotive analyst Vladimir Bespalov notes that Faurecia's assets look interesting at least taking into account the continuation of work in Togliatti and the presence of at least one large client. He adds that in the future, the industry has needs for components and the list of customers can grow.

The main buyers of the products of the Faurecia group in Russia were the alliance RenaultNissanAvtoVAZ"-," as well as Hyundai / Kia. Volkswagen After the departure of foreign manufacturers, only AvtoVAZ continued to purchase components from Faurecia.^[2]

Application for resignation from the Russian Federation

The company was represented in Russia until 2023 by production sites in the cities of Togliatti, St. Petersburg, Kaluga and Luga.

In March 2023, Faurecia announced a decision to leave the Russian market. The one-time costs associated with this move are estimated at 143 million euros, of which 104 million are for "asset write-offs."

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