International Automotive Components (IAC) has opened its US$20m plant for tailored interiors in Opole, Poland.
The new location will serve as the company’s centre for cut-and-sewn as well as hand-wrapped components, starting with premium instrument panels. The operation will create around 550 skilled jobs in the region.
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IAC has invested more than US$20m into the new location, which will cover an area of 27,000 square meters (290,625 square feet) at its completion.
The facility went from groundbreaking to serial production in seven months and is positioned to accommodate further growth.
“From a strategic point of view, Opole is an ideal location for us,”said IAC European Region president, Jonas Nilsson. “Eastern Europe continues to be a strong growth region for the automotive. At this new location, we can focus on our manufacturing skills and serve our premium customers across Europe.
“We are in the process of recruiting a large, skilled workforce who shares IAC’s passion for quality and superior customer service in delivering our premium products that go into some of the most successful Scandinavian vehicles around the globe.”
For his part, IAC Marcus Nyman, SVP Global Strategic Development, Marcus Nyman, added: “Tailored, highly crafted interiors are, and will continue to be, core to our product portfolio. Our research shows demand for wrapped interior components using leather, artificial leather, and premium textiles will grow substantially to support the consumer’s desire for a personalised driving experience.
“This is especially true for the premium vehicle segment, in which IAC has its strength. As we move towards fully autonomous vehicles, individual flexibility of the interiors is expected to drive demand for handcrafted solutions and integrated electronic functions in interior components.
“That is why we expect an increase in wrapped products globally by 38% from 6m parts to about 9m in the next three years.”
“IAC Opole will serve as the company’s Centre of Excellence for tailored interiors, combining manufacturing and processes with development capabilities. For example, exploring new synthetic materials with natural leather look and feel and antiseptic features will be of importance, as we see the usage rate of vehicles increasing with the trend of shared mobility,” added Nilsson.
