Front-end module supplier HBPO (Lippstadt / Germany; www.hbpogroup.com) plans to expand production in Mexico. In addition, this joint venture between Hella, Behr (now belonging to Mahle) and Plastic Omnium (Levallois / France; https://plasticomnium.com/fr) intends to spend several million US dollars in the next five years to strengthen development work in North America. The company will also extend its product range with the addition of centre consoles, and, by 2018, with actively controlled plastic air vent systems.

Following several projects to expand production at existing sites in the last few months, HBPO is first planning to set up two additional just-in-sequence manufacturing lines for front-end modules, which will supply car manufacturers in Aguascalientes / Mexico and Saltillo / Mexico. The names of the OEMs were not given, but Nissan, Fiat-Chrysler and GM – among others – operate assembly plants close to these sites. At present, alongside its headquarters in Troy / USA, HBPO has three plants in Mexico – in Puebla, San Jose Chiapa and Toluca. It also has a production facility in Windsor / Canada.

According to Anja Sprenger, CEO of HBPO North America, volume sales on the continent are expected to rise from 883,000 units in 2016 to 1.4m units in 2017. The number of employees will go up from 450 to 650. North America's share of HBPO's global front-end production has risen to more than 20%.