Automotive Industry

The non-binding agreement would see China's third-largest carmaker assemble Omoda and Jaecoo branded vehicles at Nissan's UK plant starting in 2027. Sunderland has been running at roughly 50 percent capacity following Nissan's global restructuring, making the contract manufacturing deal crucial for safeguarding jobs. The arrangement gives Chery a ready-made European production base without building new capacity, while Nissan monetizes idle infrastructure. Chinese automakers are increasingly shifting from pure imports to embedded manufacturing partnerships in Western markets.

Apollo paid 4.1 times adjusted EBITDA for a business that makes door panels and center consoles across 59 plants. The €1.82 billion deal lets Forvia cut net debt by at least €1 billion while focusing on automated driving and energy management under its IGNITE restructuring strategy. The Interiors unit generated €4.8 billion in revenue last year, representing 18 percent of Forvia's total. Auto suppliers are shedding non-core assets as electrification and automation reshape the industry, with Apollo targeting carve-outs from pressured parents looking to deleverage.