Spanish automotive components supplier Grupo Antolin is launching a new strategic plan in 2020 that will tap into the opportunities offered by new mobility trends.
The plan is aimed at strengthening the company’s position as a leading manufacturer of vehicle interiors and will by and large pursue Antolin’s existing “smart integrator” strategy, which targets higher added value through the integration of technology, electronic and lighting solutions.
“Grupo Antolin is increasing its capabilities in electronics and looking for key technology partners that provide added value to its products,” the company said in its third quarter results published Nov. 28.
Grupo Antolin is the second largest injection molder in North America, according to Plastics News rankings.
These include the company’s partnerships with the Chinese group Hi-Rain in lighting solutions and with Walter Pack for decorative automotive interior parts.
Having intensified its focus on electric vehicles (EV), partly through the opening of its new lighting facility in Bamberg, Germany, the company has now begun the supply of components to a number of EV models, including the new ID.3, the first model of Volkswagen's new electric car platform.
Antolin is also producing instrument panels, interior ambient lighting, decorative films and door panels for the Audi e-tron.
Furthermore, Antolin said it supplies parts, including storage systems, to Chinese EV models such as the Byton M-Byte, the Aiways U5, and the Nevs 9-3; as well as the Volvo XC40 electric.
As part of the new plan, the Burgos, Spain-based company said that it was in discussion with start-ups to define cooperation agreements and was analyzing acquisitions to enhance its capabilities in this space.
In addition, Antolin said in its third quarter presentation that it would start its “efficiency improvement program” in the first quarter of 2020, but did not elaborate further.
Over the nine months to end of September, Antolin recorded sales of 3.8 billion euros ($4.1 billion), down 1.4 percent from the year before.
Antolin said its sales continued to “outperform” the global automotive production levels, which were down 5.8 percent over the nine-month period.
This, said the group, was due to the new projects launched to the market, especially in the US and the Czech Republic.
Earnings (EBITDA) improved marginally to 256 million euros ($278 million), compared to 254 million euros ($276 million) reported in 2018, thanks to improvements across most businesses.