2007 Reference document (PDF) - Valeo

4.3.4. Projects
The Projects Department is responsible for promoting good project
management practices, allowing for the launch of reliable products,
free of quality problems and with guaranteed lifetimes. The role
of this function is therefore to ensure that all Group projects are
launched successfully, in terms of quality, deadlines and cost by
implementing rigorous methods and applying them to the Group’s
entire Project network.
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The Project function covers all domains for developing new
applications, from standard products through to advanced
development projects. Directors, project managers and all
members of their teams work on development projects for the
full spectrum of automakers. Project teams consist of buyers, sales
staff and employees specializing in R&D, quality and processes.
The methodologies implemented by the Projects function are
taken from the 5 Axes approach. There are four project categories
at Valeo: P3 (creativity), P2 (generic standards), P1 (customer
application) and P0 (changes during the production phase for
optimized costs and quality). This policy sets out in detail the
project process at Valeo. In 2007 the Valeo project portfolio featured
around 1,080 P0 projects, 1,900 P1 projects and around 600 P2
and P3 projects, giving a total of 3,580 projects. It covers a wide
variety of products from simple sensors, to highly sophisticated
systems or complex integrated modules. The project management
method is described in a document entitled Constant Innovation
Policy.
It also covers Group best practice and details the organization of
teams, resource management guidelines and the development
of systems and modules. Lean Investment and target cost
techniques are also used to minimize production costs and
maximize team outputs. The QRQC approach has also been
adapted to suit the Projects function. Optimized IT tools support
the monitoring of projects and performance.
4.4. Research and Development
Designing the automobile of tomorrow, creating technologies
and products in accordance with the market, while
anticipating its expectations and driving the market through
innovation: these are the fundamental principles of Valeo’s
Research & Development strategy.
Innovation is, more than ever before, at the heart of the Group’s
development strategy. Valeo engineers seek to anticipate automakers’
demand for solutions that offer real added-value for drivers:
increased comfort, performance and respect for the environment.
(1) Net of R&D expenditure rebilled to customers.
2007 Reference document - VALEO
Activity
The Group
In 2007, research and development spending represented 5.5% (1)
of operating revenues, and over 545 new patents were filed.
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Faced with an ever more demanding market in terms of new
products, Valeo has developed the processes necessary for
reducing design lead times for new products. Thus, the Group
works upstream to improve the in-house efficiency of projects,
ensuring the appropriateness of actions scheduled and checking
that existing competences correspond to those required (see
section 4.3.4. “Projects”). Major efforts are made to reduce the
cost of research and development, in order to satisfy market
expectations.
Since an innovation’s success is closely linked to its effectiveness
and close conformance to drivers’ expectations, Valeo deploys
a large range of tools, market research, forecasts and testing.
Surveys are carried out to gain a better understanding of driver
requirements and tests evaluate how new products are perceived.
These tools thus enable Valeo to measure the extent to which
innovations are accepted. The ultimate goal is to quickly develop
and implement innovations which are useful to the driver and
generate growth for Valeo.
To reinforce its technological offer, Valeo also forges partnerships
with top specialists, who are leaders in their field. In 2007, these
efforts focused predominantly on ongoing partnerships from
previous years: such as the association with Raytheon, the radar
technologies specialist, with Jabil Circuit concerning the production
of printed circuit boards, Iteris for lane departure warning systems
and IBM for the development of onboard software.
Valeo also partners a variety of universities and academic
institutions, such as France’s École des Mines – Paris Tech within
the Driving Assistance Domain, ESIGELEC for electronics, and in
the US, Stanford University for simulation techniques and fluid
mechanics.
Finally, Valeo has proposed projects within the competitive centers
on themes relating to energy, powertrains, mechatronics, software
and complex systems, and has also invested in the governance of
some of these centers (MOVEO, MTA, System@tic Paris-Région),
which enables the Group to help bring universities, industry and
research closer together.
Valeo R&D centers are located throughout the world.
The Group had 62 at the end of 2007, employing nearly 6,100
people. Very high level R&D centers have also been opened in
developing countries: Valeo has sites dedicated to R&D in Mexico
City (Mexico), Prague (Czech Republic), Wuhan and Shanghai
(China), Brazil and Poland. Teams working at these centers
contribute to projects for both the local market and Group-wide
projects.
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