Valeo opens high-voltage inverter lines at Étaples

Valeo has opened new high-voltage production lines at its Étaples site in northern France, repositioning the plant as the supplier’s national centre for high-voltage inverter assembly. The launch was marked by a visit from Sébastien Martin, French Minister of State for Industry, alongside Valeo Chief Executive Christophe Périllat.

The “High Voltage 2025” industrial project covers production of inverters, the power electronics module that controls electric motor output. The Étaples site has secured initial contracts, with production scheduled to begin in 2026 for electric commercial and passenger vehicles entering the market from 2027.

The plant assembles inverters and switching cells using sub-components supplied by Valeo’s sites in Sainte-Florine and Sablé-sur-Sarthe, building a domestic industrial chain. Étaples currently produces 8.3 million 12V and 48V electric motors annually and employs 1,200 staff, with a further 50 hires planned by year-end. A 180-strong R&D team is based at the site.

Christophe Périllat, Chief Executive, Valeo, said: “Étaples epitomises the technological expertise and industrial agility that we must preserve in order to shape the future of European industry. Beyond its production capacity, our ambition is to make France the heart of a sovereign innovation ecosystem. By strengthening our synergies with the French microelectronics and artificial intelligence sectors, we are equipping our components, such as the high-voltage inverters produced here, with unrivalled intelligence and efficiency.”

The Étaples expansion follows the 2025 opening of Valeo’s Power Tech Center in Créteil-Valenton.

Source: Valeo