Only three years from start-up, November 21st represents a significant landmark for Valeo as front end module production continues to gather momentum to reach a total of one million units.
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The company said that the market trend towards modular assembly continues to increase with forecasts predicting that two thirds of vehicles will carry front end modules by 2012. Valeo claims front end modules have rapidly diversified its customer base and it currently supplies Fiat, Ford, Renault and Volkswagen from dedicated assembly sites close to car manufacturers’ facilities in Brazil, France, Poland, South Africa and Spain.
Further sites are planned in the near future for Japan, Mexico and the USA.
Valeo claims the success of its front end modules is based on the wide range of expertise shared between the various company branches where the whole front end module is developed in-house – including bolster, heat exchangers, lighting and wire harness. As a result, the integration of the various components of the module can be effectively optimised. This integration expertise has been focused on energy absorption, architecture structure, fit and finish as well as lean industrial just-in-time (JIT) service.
Valeo says work on the modules has resulted in innovations such as the hybrid bumper beam, lighter and more cost effective than the conventional aluminium beam; the high absorption aluminium crash box, for high performance in low speed impacts; the advanced lighting integrated system, characterized by its optimised weight and compactness; and the safe front end module, which features a new architecture to improve pedestrian safety.
