At the end of January, French automotive supplier Faurecia completed its acquisition of German automotive lighting and sensor supplier Hella, a deal first announced in August 2021. This week, the new name of the combined companies—Forvia—was unveiled.

The new Forvia name is derived from the combined words “forward” and “via,” according to a recent press release, and is about “the movement and the necessary agility as well as the newly combined group’s commitment, confidence, and action.” Both Hella and Faurecia will continue to sell products under their respective brand names, but they will communicate under the new Forvia name.

“This new name reflects core elements of our Faurecia and Hella brands, as well giving a good translation of our shared purpose—inspiring mobility,” said Patrick Koller, CEO of Faurecia. “This new group represents 150,000 talented individuals across more than 40 countries inspired by one vision, speaking with one voice, and working as one team. As Forvia, we are shaping safe, sustainable, advanced, and customized mobility for today’s and tomorrow’s generations.”

“Forvia captures the close cooperation between Faurecia and Hella excellently,” said Rolf Breidenbach, CEO of Hella. “The name embodies essential core aspects that have always distinguished both companies. At the same time, Forvia is a clear signal of a new start into a common future”.

The transaction, estimated at around €5.3 billion ($5.95 billion), is one of the largest in the European automotive parts industry in the past several years. The deal involves Faurecia’s purchase of a 60% stake in Hella from the Hueck family, who founded the company, via a combination of stock and cash, along with 19.5% in a settlement of a public takeover offer. The Hueck family will maintain up to a 9% interest in the newly combined company.

According to the announcement, Forvia will have strategic oversight of Faurecia and Hella, which will continue to operate as two independent legal companies, “closely collaborating to create sustainable value for all stakeholders through technology solutions and synergies generated in the best interest of both companies.”

Examples of recent sustainability-focused innovations from both companies include Faurecia’s Cockpit of the Future and Hella’s EV Coolant Control Hub.

The Cockpit of the Future focuses on enhancing individual onboard experiences while embracing the challenge of designing safer, more comfortable, and personalized experiences with all the digital convenience people expect on the move with sustainability in mind. To reduce the CO2 footprint of its products, Faurecia has committed to developing and including more sustainable materials, such as recycled, recyclable, and/or bio-sourced, fossil-free steel, in its products and extend the life of materials.

The Coolant Control Hub addresses the revolution for thermal management in electric vehicles, combining all the necessary functions for efficient thermal management for the first time in the form of a subsystem, says Hella. The innovative seven-way valve ensures the optimal temperature of the battery, vehicle interior, and other key components and enables efficient heat recovery, its modular approach allowing for component consolidation.

Hella dates back to 1899 when the company WMI was formed by Sally Windmüller as a producer of horns, candles, and kerosene lamps for carriages. The Hella brand first appeared as a trademark in 1908 on acetylene headlights. The company was acquired by the Hueck family in 1923 and eventually became one of the world’s 50 largest automotive suppliers, as well as one of the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany, specializing largely in lighting systems.

Faurecia’s roots can be traced to 1914, when Bertrand Faure opened his first workshop near Paris, manufacturing seats for trams and the Paris metro, according to the company’s website. Today’s version of the company, as well as the Faurecia brand, was formed in 1997 with the takeover of the Bertrand Faure company by ECIA, which was owned by PSA (now part of Stellantis). Today, the company designs and manufactures many automotive components including seats, exhaust systems, interior systems, and decorative vehicle parts.