After acquisition of a further 20% share, Panasonic (Europe: Panasonic Marketing Europe, Wiesbaden / Germany; www.panasonic.com) is now holding a 69% majority share in automotive parts and systems supplier Ficosa (Barcelona / Spain; www.ficosa.com, see Plasteurope.com of 20.07.2015). Panasonic acquired the additional shares held by Ficosa Inversión, which manages the assets of the Pujol family, the founders of the car parts supplier. With Javier Pujol as Ficosa CEO, the family will maintain a 31% stake in the company.

With this transaction, the supplier will become a separate Panasonic division and technologies as well as products, such as electronic rear-mirrors, next-generation cockpits and driver-assistance systems, will be combined. Correspondingly, the Japanese company wants to push ahead with development.

This includes, among other things, the hiring of 100 additional engineers at Ficosa's "Technology Centre" in Viladecavalls / Spain over the course of this year. The new hires are to help address technological changes underway at the company, which is investing around 6.5% of its revenue in R&D to make the shift from automobiles to connected cars, driverless vehicles, assisted driving and e-mobility. Last year, more than 217 new engineers were hired for the Viladecavalls Technology Centre. Two-thirds of Ficosa's 1,000 engineers, working around the world, are now employed in Viladecavalls.

Panasonic intends to bring its combined automotive activities to revenues of around JPY 2 trillion (EUR 15.5 bn) in the 2018/19 fiscal year (31 March). Ficosa's products, such as tracking assistants, handbrakes, gear shifts and rear-view mirrors with integrated cameras – parts with substantial plastics materials – are to contribute a good EUR 1 bn.