Valeo is France’s leading patent filer

Valeo has taken first place in France’s 2016 INPI industrial property institute rankings, with 994 patents published in 2016 against 668 in 2015 (third place). This achievement consolidates its technological leadership, the company states.

Valeo was already the top French patent filer with the European Patent Office (EPO), with 612 patent published in 2016, and its move up the INPI rankings further illustrates the importance of innovation in the Group’s strategy, particularly its drive to reduce CO2 emissions and develop intuitive driving.

In 2016, Valeo’s R&D budget amounted to 1.596 billion euros, representing around 11 per cent of its original equipment sales (net expenditure of 5.8 per cent of the Group’s sales). Its patented innovations demonstrate its commitment to offering creative, sustainable solutions in response to the three-part revolution now underway in the automotive industry, with drivetrain electrification, automated and connected cars, mobility services and digital.

Industrial property experts are integrated into Valeo’s different innovation projects worldwide in order to define the methods and means for protecting the technologies developed by the Group’s network of 13,000 engineers.

Valeo’s innovation-based strategy is a success with customers, with innovative products accounting for half of total order intake in 2016.