The automotive supplier OPmobility (formerly Plastic Omnium) plans to strengthen its position in the United States by opening two to three new plants over the next five years, its management said on Tuesday. The French group would like to double its sales in the U.S. (between 1.5 and 2 billion euros this year) by 2028, and has already recorded sales of “major orders”said OPmobility Managing Director Laurent Favre at a press conference. As for Europe, “it’s in serious decline”.because “less and less competitivewhile China will suffer “more than the United States if the world closes”said Mr. Favre. The Group already has 13 plants in the United States, its biggest market worldwide. Its 3,500 employees manufacture parts (fuel tanks, bumpers, lighting) for American automakers (Stellantis, General Motors) as well as most foreign manufacturers (Volkswagen, BMW, Toyota).

“Nothing much is going to happen”. on the automotive front with the return of Donald Trump to the White House, predicts Laurent Favre. With protectionist measures already in place, which strengthen cooperation with Mexico and Canada, and penalize China, “we can’t imagine him putting up more customs barriers, as that would increase inflation.”stressed the executive. But “there will probably be less public money on the table for the development of electric vehicles, which may strengthen those already in place.”like Tesla and Rivian, and put a further brake on the plans of traditional manufacturers. OPmobility is counting on a still buoyant market for gasoline-powered models in the years ahead to equip pickups and SUVs from General Motors and Chevrolet, among others, with its fuel tanks.

The group has also positioned itself with the new electric giants (Tesla, Rivian). Its site in Austin, Texas, could become the world’s leading factory in terms of sales in early 2025, with front-end modules (parts behind the body) for the Tesla Model Y, as well as interior and exterior parts for the huge Cybertruck SUV. The Group also intends to participate in the transformations underway in the automotive industry, with the arrival of autonomous vehicles and the development of hydrogen fuel cells with Ford in particular. “It will be easier to have a place of choice in the United States than in China”which tends to shun foreign groups, said Mr. Favre. The equipment manufacturer promises to “good news” to come on its collaboration with Tesla on its Robotaxi autonomous vehicle, promised for 2026.