NANTERRE, FRANCE (Jan. 18, 12:20 p.m. ET) — Auto parts maker Groupe Faurecia has completed construction of its second plastic car components plant in Gorzow Wielkopolski, Poland.
Production at the new factory is expected to start in the first quarter of this year, the company said in a statement.
By the end of 2012, Faurecia aims to create at least 400 new jobs at the Polish plant. The value of the latest investment was not disclosed by the company.
The new production facility is located in the Kostrzynsko-Slubicka special economic zone. The plant will make plastic interior parts for Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz models, according to Faurecia.
“We wanted to locate the second facility near the already existing plant, and to be able to launch production as soon as possible,” said Artur Zielen, director of operations for Northern Europe at Faurecia.
Set up in 2003, Faurecia's first car parts plant in Gorzow Wielkopolski employs about 1,000 workers and makes a wide range of plastic car interior components for Volkswagen, Audi, Opel, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo.
In addition to the newly-built factory, the company operates eight production facilities in Poland. These include two plastic car parts plants in Gorzow Wielkopolski and Legnica, and six automotive seating factories in Grojec, Walbrzych and Jelcz. Faurecia's Polish plants have a total workforce of about 6,000, according to figures from the company.