Global automakers Nissan Motor Company and Stellantis are in talks to acquire some key manufacturing assets from Japanese automotive components supplier Marelli Holdings Company, according to a report by Bloomberg News citing sources close to the companies.
Marelli Holdings was established following the acquisition in 2019 of Italian components manufacturer Magneti Marelli from Fiat Chrysler, now part of the Stellantis group, by CK Holdings, owned by private equity firm KKR. CK Holdings had previously acquired Nissan’s in-house component manufacturer Calsonic Kansei, and subsequently merged the two component manufacturing companies to form Marelli Holdings.
Earlier this month, Marelli Holdings filed for Chapter 11 protection with the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in the US, as it looked to restructure its US$ 4.9 billion debt mountain while continuing to supply auto components to its global customers.
The discussions with Nissan and Stellantis are part of broader negotiations aimed at securing the future of Marelli Holdings, after months of discussions with creditors. Stellantis and Nissan, which are struggling to keep up with surging competition from Chinese automakers and the global transition to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), remain by far Marelli Holdings’ largest customers. Marelli Holdings said in June that the introduction of import tariffs in the US last year had also affected its liquidity position.
According to the report, Stellantis is looking to (re)acquire Marelli's automotive suspension operations located in Italy and in other countries, while Nissan is looking to (re)acquire the company’s cockpit and interior component assets.
