Yet another European automotive components supplier has fallen prey to a US company. Findlay Industries (1957 Crooks Road, Troy, MI 48084, USA), which we reported in Plasteurope.com 6 has just set up a plant in Poland, has now bought the door panel business of EMPE Autoteile GmbH (Dieselweg 10, D-82538 Geretsried). Findlay's acquisition involves EMPE Autoteile's door group's central office and manufacturing facility in Geretsried, Germany and two manufacturing facilities in Ebersdorf and Nordhalben, Germany, as well as EMPE Espana S.A. with plants in Zaragoza and Barcelona. The group also plan to set up a new plant in the UK and at Wackersdorf in Germany. All the plants carry out injection and compression moulding to make door panels. Estimated turnover for the door panel business is DEM 180m.

The move will extend Finlay's customer base in Europe to include Audi, BMW, Citroen, Ford, Mercedes Benz, Peugeot, Rover, Seat and Volkswagen. The plant in Poland was set up to supply General Motors, Opel and Saab there.

Findlay Industries is a leading supplier of door and other moulded interior trim panels, headliners, seats and components in North America. With this latest acquisition it has extended its manufacturing facilities to 26.