FORVIA has expanded its India operations by building a new seating manufacturing plant following the acquisition of a significant seating programme. This new facility, which will commence operation in 2027, will mark the firm’s tenth manufacturing plant in India, and will be the first one to manufacture complete seating. This follows the automotive industry in India posting near 22 per cent growth year-over-year, with a record number of 2.6 million car sales in the first six months of 2026.
New seating plant bolsters India expansion:
This is the latest initiative from FORVIA as it executes on its IGNITE strategy of growing in high-potential markets. The facility will produce complete seating systems comprising of the seats’ structure, mechanism, foam, cover, and assembly of both first and second rows.
The production process is expected to start in 2027, and with that, FORVIA will be able to offer fully integrated seating systems produced within the country. In addition to that, the project will introduce Cover Carving Technology, an innovative solution based on polyurethane that offers more space in the rear, increased comfort and better seat aesthetics.
Martin Fischer, the CEO of FORVIA, said: “India is emerging as one of the most dynamic markets for automobiles in the world, which is a key pillar of FORVIA’s growth strategy. In addition to this Seating facility expansion, we are expanding our industrial footprint, increasing localisation efforts, investing in innovative technology and enhancing world class engineering and AI capabilities.”
Expansion aids localisation and industrial growth:
India has been playing a vital role in FORVIA’s IGNITE strategy that was unveiled by the company in February 2026 as the company aims to solidify its presence in the rapidly growing automotive markets. As a result of this expansion project, FORVIA is expected to have a total of 10 manufacturing facilities in Mehsana, Pune, Ammavaruppali, Bengaluru, Chennai, Derabassi, Gurugram/Dankhot and Manesar.
The company has won several new projects from major vehicle manufacturers across its Seating, Electronics and Clean Mobility business lines. The company’s long term partnership with Anand Group is aiding its localisation and industrial growth in India.
Sébastien Limousin, Executive Vice President, FORVIA Seating Business Group, commented, “This plant strengthens our position in India, which will be a market of about €4 billion by 2030 in terms of automotive seating. It is a demonstration of our resolve to grow our capacity to provide complete seat systems in India with solutions that are home grown and locally manufactured along with advanced seat technologies in fast-growing markets.”
India becomes a focal point of engineering and innovations:
FORVIA has also expanded its engineering operations in India, wherein there are over 2,400 engineers and experts working in its Seating, Interiors, Clean Mobility, Electronics and Lighting businesses. 61 patents have been applied for and 30 patents have already been granted.
The engineering teams at FORVIA are working on advanced technologies including zone controllers, mobile phone based vehicle access technologies, electrification systems and rider assistance systems. FORVIA HELLA India has also been set up as a Global AI Center of Excellence, providing AI solutions for engineering, manufacturing, and automotive applications, including AI-based child detection in vehicles, adaptive lighting, radar intelligence and predictive anomaly detection.
