Valeo Angers Completes Modernization for Next-Generation Lighting Systems

The Valeo industrial site in Angers has finalized its €45 million modernization plan, rolled out between 2023 and 2026. This comprehensive transformation aligns with the Valeo Elevate 2028 strategic plan, designed to meet aggressive growth targets in the booming global automotive lighting market. To satisfy the increasing demand from European manufacturers for complex bi-color optical lenses, the facility has entirely overhauled its workshops and deployed new, cutting-edge optical technologies.

The thermoplastic injection workshops have undergone a major upgrade, now featuring new, high-performance automated injection press lines. Today, the high-tech facility operates with 25 injection presses, five varnishing lines, 11 assembly lines, and 181 robots. All of these advanced manufacturing processes are further optimized through the integration of digital tools and Artificial Intelligence, enabling predictive simulation and real-time system validation.

Industrial Excellence and R&D Synergy
Operating with over 1,200 highly qualified employees across Angers and Blois, Valeo's regional industrial operations supply 9,000 headlights and 22,000 complex modules daily to the world’s leading manufacturers. The site’s competitive edge is rooted in its dual DNA, which seamlessly combines operational excellence with advanced research and development. The local R&D center currently has 24 projects under development, with six major initiatives specifically allocated to the Angers plant.

"Lighting is at the heart of the mobility challenges of tomorrow: safety, design, and intelligent interaction with the environment," states Jean-Luc Terrasse, CEO of Valeo’s Light Division. "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."

Strategic Recruitment and Heavy-Duty Leadership
To sustain these industrial advancements, Valeo prioritizes its workforce through an active recruitment and training policy. Over the last three years, the site has completed 168 new hires, including 15 specialized technicians joining the workshops in 2026 to configure the newly installed presses. The company also fosters long-term employability through an apprenticeship policy that covers 6.3% of the workforce, while the Valeo Lighting Academy provides over 3,150 hours of continuous training annually to maintain team excellence.

Looking ahead, the Angers site is firmly establishing itself as a European reference point for the rapidly growing heavy goods vehicle segment. With two major client launches planned in 2027 and 2028, the factory's production volume related to heavy-duty vehicles will double from 20% to 40%. By 2030, six out of seven European road transport leaders will utilize headlights developed in Angers, officially cementing the site's status as the Group's European Product and Process Competence Center for Heavy-Duty Vehicle front headlights.

Edited by Maria Brueva, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

www.valeo.com