Valeo

Valeo was founded in 1923 in Saint-Ouen, France, as a manufacturer of brake pads. In the 1960s the company diversified into climate technology and lighting. After several strategic acquisitions — including Neiman (ignition locks) and Cibie (headlights) — Valeo today operates in 33 countries and supplies all major automakers worldwide. Since 2000, Valeo has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.

Valeo operates 186 production sites in Europe, Asia, America and Africa. Air conditioning compressors are manufactured at the Sanand (India) and Silao (Mexico) plants, alternators in Créteil (France) and Wrocław (Poland). All plants are certified to IATF 16949 and ISO 14001.

The Valeo range for the aftermarket includes air conditioning compressors, condensers, expansion valves, alternators, starters, clutch kits, clutch release bearings, headlights, rear lights, wiper motors, wiper blades, sensors, control units and ignition coils. Valeo covers over 95% of all European vehicles.

Valeo spare parts are 100% OEM-compatible — the company is itself an original equipment supplier and uses identical manufacturing drawings. All air conditioning compressors undergo a pressure test at 30 bar. Clutch kits are tested for torque stability up to 200°C. Valeo is certified to IATF 16949, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

Valeo invests over 12% of revenue annually in R&D — one of the highest rates in the automotive supply industry. Focus areas are electrification (48V systems, electric motors), autonomous driving (LiDAR, cameras) and CO₂-neutral air conditioning. Valeo holds over 11,000 active patents.

Valeo is an original equipment supplier for Volkswagen, Renault, PSA, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Ford. In the aftermarket, Valeo distributes its products through a network of over 10,000 authorised dealers in Europe. In Germany, Valeo is present in over 30,000 workshops.