The Thai seat plant is the first overseas factory built jointly by BYD and Forvia, which together have set up seven plants in China.

BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY) and French auto parts group Forvia have opened a seat assembly plant in Thailand to support its local production.

The seat plant, which opened on July 18, will produce automotive seats for BYD's Thailand plant, with an estimated annual capacity of 180,000 units, according to a statement today from the Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) maker.

The Thai seat plant is the first overseas factory built by BYD and Forvia, which together have seven plants in China.

The French auto parts group, previously known as Faurecia, was founded in 1998. It completed the acquisition of another parts supplier, Hella, in February 2022 and formed a new parts group called Forvia.

Forvia is the world's seventh-largest automotive technology supplier, and its partnership with BYD began in 2017. It has a research and development center in Shenzhen, the city of BYD's global headquarters.

In October 2017, BYD and Faurecia established Shenzhen Faurecia Automotive Parts Co Ltd, which is majority-owned by the latter.

In a statement on July 24, 2023, Forvia said it would build a new seat assembly plant with BYD in Rayong province, Thailand.

Thailand will be Forvia's export hub in the Asia-Pacific region and an important growth engine for the future, the French parts company said at the time.

BYD held a groundbreaking ceremony on March 10, 2023 for its Thai plant. The plant, which has an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles, is the first overseas passenger car plant wholly owned by BYD.

The BYD Thailand plant opened on July 4 this year and saw the BYD's 8 millionth NEV roll off the production line.

BYD Thailand plant opens as its 8 millionth NEV rolls off line