As part of its strategy to establish an international automotive components business, the Spanish company Zanini Auto Group (ZAG, C/. Marineta 2, Pol. Ind. Llevant, E-08150 Parets del Valles / Barcelona) earlier this year acquired the hub caps division of Peguform France (34 rue du Paradis, B.P. 2009, F-Oyonnax). With this acquisition, ZAG estimates that it has 33% of the market for hubcaps with nearly all of Europe's leading car manufacturers on its client list.

The Oyonnax plant will operate as Zanini France S.A., and is expected to achieve a turnover of FRF 70m in 1997. The plant employs 85 people operating 11 injection moulding machines and one automatic painting line. In total ZAG has capacity to produce 20m hubcaps at three plants, with output for 1997 expected to be 15m. Total turnover for the group in 1997 will be around ESP 10bn.

In 1998 ZAG will start up operations in Mexico and Brazil. This follows the creation in 1996 of an international joint venture, International Automotive Components (IAC, 3 bis rue du Petit Robinson, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas) with a US plastics components company, Blue Water Plastics and a French moulder, Somemca Industries to develop and coordinate international sales and marketing activities.