PARIS, March 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For the fourth year in a row,
Valeo ranks fourth in France by volume of patents filed, with 397
applications, according to INPI, the French National Institute of Industrial
Property. Worldwide, the Group filed a total of 527 new patents in 2008,
bringing its portfolio to around 25,000.
Valeo develops systems for cleaner, safer and more comfortable vehicles,
and places innovation at the heart of its strategy, investing 5.5% of its
sales in Research & Development every year. In 2008, new products accounted
for 32% of order intake, a clear sign of automakers' interest in the Group's
technologies and a growing number of vehicles are equipped with Valeo
innovations. The Stop-Start system, for example, which reduces carbon dioxide
emissions by up to 28% in urban traffic, is available on the Citroën C2 and
C3, Mercedes A and B Classes and gasoline-engine smart models, and the
automatic parking system Park4UTM will soon equip 18 vehicles.
Valeo is an independent industrial Group fully focused on the design,
production and sale of components, integrated systems and modules for cars
and trucks. Valeo ranks among the world's top automotive suppliers. The Group
has 121 plants, 61 R&D centers, 10 distribution centers and employs 51,200
people in 27 countries worldwide.
For all additional information, please contact:
Claire Vidal Pilo, Product Press Relations, Tel.: +33-1-40-55-21-26
Antoine Balas, Corporate Press Relations, Tel.: +33-1-40-55-29-36
SOURCE Valeo Management Services
