French auto parts supplier Plastic Omnium SA has made two “strategic acquisitions” focused on hydrogen fuel cells, as part of its efforts to increase its presence in the market as fuel cells are expected to gain more attention in the auto industry.
The company announced Dec. 21 that it had acquired Swiss Hydrogen SA, based in Fribourg, Switzerland, and Optimum CPV of Zonhovan, Belgium,, which will help its bid to become a leading equipment supplier for propulsion energies in the future.
Swiss Hydrogen specializes in the design and production of proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Each PEM cell typically has two bi-polar plates with a film membrane at the center.
Optimum CPV is a specialist in hydrogen fuel tanks, made using a composite filament.
“These two acquisitions reinforce the positioning of Plastic Omnium as an electric propulsion player," said the French supplier.
The new businesses, which have more than 130 engineers, will be combined into a new entity and management, "Plastic Omnium New Energies," within Plastic Omnium's Inergy division, the same group that blow molds fuel tanks.