Global Tier 1 supplier of vehicle flooring, acoustic and fibre-based products Auria Solutions and Feltex Automotive, a regional manufacturer of automotive textiles and acoustic components, have announced a joint venture (JV) that will serve selected automotive original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs, or vehicle manufacturers) in the region.

Feltex forms part of the JSE-listed KAP Industrial Group and

has acquired a minority stake in Auria South Africa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Auria Solutions.

The subsequent JV will continue to be called Auria South Africa, and will operate out of a new manufacturing facility that was launched in East London in the third quarter of last year.

The JV will manufacture numerous vehicle interior products, including flooring systems, dash insulators, trunk trim and parcel shelves for certain locally produced global OEM platforms.

The strategic partnership should combine the global automotive manufacturing and engineering capability of Auria with the local raw material and vertical integration capabilities of Feltex.

“Feltex has a strong reputation and deep roots in this regional automotive hub, and we are excited about the combined strength and growth opportunities our strategic partnership brings to this new JV,” says Auria Solutions president and CEO Brian Pour.

Feltex Automotive CEO Ugo Frigerio says “the Auria team brings with it strong global manufacturing and technical know-how in an industry that is transitioning towards new technologies and production methods”.

The new Auria East London facility comprises 11 200 m2 of manufacturing space, with equipment for the production of floor carpets, trunk trim, dash insulators and parcel shelves.

Manufacturing processes within the plant include compression moulding, polyurethane back foaming, high-frequency welding, waterjet cutting, injection moulding and sequencing.