FORVIA Technology & Customer Center opens in Hannover

After Faurecia’s acquisition of Hella in February and the combination of the technological and industrial strengths of both companies, FORVIA is now the world's seventh-largest automotive supplier. Today, after two years of construction, the new Technology & Customer Center in Hanover Marienwerder was officially inaugurated together with representatives from politics and business, including Lower Saxony's Minister of Economic Affairs Dr Bernd Althusmann, Anja Ritschel (Head of Economic Affairs of the City of Hanover) and VDA Managing Director Andreas Rade.

Patrick Koller, CEO of Faurecia:

"I am impressed by the work that has been done during the last two years to build this modern and sustainable work environment. Thanks to its location in the highly dynamic Science Area 30X business and science park and its immediate proximity to important education and research partners such as Leibniz University Hannover, the new site is perfectly positioned to attract talent and become a global innovation hub. It will play an important role in the development of automotive technologies of the future and thus in our plan to drive forward the further transformation of mobility as the FORVIA Group. It is also a clear commitment to Germany as a business location where Faurecia and Hella are present with more than 13.000 employees at over 40 sites. At the same time, the newly built site underlines our strong ties with German customers."

Minister of Economic Affairs Dr Bernd Althusmann:

"Every second car produced worldwide is equipped with Forvia products. The fact that a global high-tech group has chosen Hanover as the location for its new Technology & Customer Center is an important and clear signal for the automotive industry in Lower Saxony." The new building in the Science Area 30X in Hanover combines the former research and development activities of Faurecia Seating in Stadthagen with those of Faurecia Interiors in Peine as well as all functions of the German Faurecia Holding (Faurecia Automotive GmbH). The site employs 850 people.

Modern and sustainable working environment
The building, designed in a modern campus style, brings together different working concepts and ecological aspects: Open-space offices, an in-house think tank ("Fabulous Laboratory") and a "working café" establish a working environment that fosters creativity and communication. All development steps of product creation up to series production are bundled at the location. High-tech validation facilities support this process, including a new crash facility, robot testing, acoustic/climate chambers, 6-axis shakers and 360 degree photography.

The ecologically sustainable construction of the Technology & Customer Center is confirmed by the DGNB Platinum Certificate, which was presented to the company today at the opening. The certificate evaluates building projects under various aspects and serves as a transparent quality control.