Our Automotive Seat Capabilities

We anticipate future needs and design products to meet them. Our design capabilities include:

• Industrial design that translates consumer behaviors and preferences into successful products that address future customer needs.
• Technical design using state-of-the-art design development and visualization technologies
• Color and materials design that anticipates color and material trends and helps build our customers’ brand identity.
• Craftsmanship that delivers superior perceived quality in all vehicle segments.
• Consumer and market research providing deep insights that guide successful future strategies, products and technologies.
• Trend research that identifies and monitors cultural and societal trends to optimize current and future products.

We ensure our automotive seats are engineered and manufactured to the performance requirements of our customers. Our products meet the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship, and help automakers avoid additional costs, reduce risk and perform well-executed launches. Our capabilities include:

• Component and system-level engineering for designing, testing and validating automotive seat foam, plastics, metals, structures, mechanisms, trim and fabric, and complete seating systems.
• Pre-production support including testing, prototyping, early mock-ups and simulations.
• Engineering support for global vehicle platforms including engineering centers around the world that create globally standardized products and processes for reduced costs, greater flexibility and consistent high quality.
• Leading-edge collaboration tools that link all our teams so they can act as one in support of our customers around the globe.

We continually seek new tools, processes and technologies that enhance operational and manufacturing excellence, eliminate waste, reduce risk, decrease costs, increase quality and ensure seamless, timely product launches worldwide. Our operations capabilities include:

• Robust, efficient designs that build on standardized core products.
• Repeatable core manufacturing processes, which enhance consistency and quality.
• Standard equipment that facilitates quick, efficient tooling and fixture changes.
• Continuous investment in technologies, reducing manufacturing time and costs.
• Scaled, lean manufacturing aligned with the global needs of our customers.
• An efficient and highly capable workforce and supplier base.
• Development and standardization of best practices in manufacturing.

Our technology leadership is the key to successful, differentiated products. We develop, test and validate new technologies so we can design and manufacture more quickly and efficiently, at less cost, and with higher quality. Our technology and innovation capabilities include:

• Technology intelligence teams that partner with universities and research groups to identify and apply innovative technologies.
• Internationally acclaimed technology management throughout the entire product development life cycle, from design optimization and technology development through OEM program applications.
• Deep expertise in all materials, structures and components, as well as complete seating systems.
• Globally standardized engineering processes that greatly improve quality and consistency in engineering.
• Excellence in engineering and research throughout the entire development cycle.

Our testing and prototyping processes ensure every component or system we design will meet manufacturing requirements, work properly and comply with safety regulations. Our global teams, facilities and capabilities deliver final product validation before production begins — saving our customers time and money, reducing risk, and ensuring safe, high-quality end products for well-executed launches. Our capabilities include:

• Testing for safety, durability, acoustics and comfort in state-of-the-art labs with next-generation apparatus.
• Prototyping, which provides pre-launch proof that products can be manufactured as designed.
• Simulations in the most difficult environments, ensuring our products meet legal and customer requirements.
• Continuous investment in the latest equipment and technology, enhancing our ability to test for new customer requirements.
• A global footprint, with test facilities on every continent to be close to our customers’ plants and support their global platform strategies.