Valeo is completing a €45 million (US$51.75 million) modernisation of its Angers lighting plant in France, conducted over 2023 to 2026. The programme establishes Angers as the group’s European competence centre for heavy goods vehicle (HGV) front headlights and supports the Valeo Elevate 2028 strategic plan.

The plant produces 9,000 headlights and 22,000 modules daily for leading global automakers, with more than 1,200 employees across Angers and Blois. The modernised facility operates 25 injection presses, five varnishing lines, 11 assembly lines and 181 robots, with AI deployed for predictive simulation and real-time validation.

The HGV segment is the primary growth driver: production share is set to rise from 20% to 40% as two major clients launch in 2027 and 2028. Six of seven European road transport leaders are projected to use Angers-developed headlights by 2030.

In a statement, Jean-Luc Terrasse, Chief Executive, Valeo Light Division, said: “Lighting is at the heart of the mobility challenges of tomorrow: safety, design, and intelligent interaction with the environment. It allows manufacturers to differentiate themselves and offer users ever-increasing safety and driving comfort. This 45 million euro investment allows the factory to consolidate its industrial excellence. The Angers site demonstrates that a French factory can design and produce systems of unprecedented optical complexity and be at the forefront of European Industry 4.0.”

Source: Valeo