Mahle expands thermal management scope with Delphi acquisition

Mahle is strengthening its position in automotive thermal management by signing an agreement to acquire the thermal business of major US supplier Delphi Automotive.

Following approval by the relevant antitrust authorities, completion of the deal is anticipated by autumn 2015. With approximately 7,600 employees, Delphi’s thermal division posted annual sales of around 1.2 billion US dollars last year.

This takeover supports the strategic expansion of Mahle’s presence in the important and growing thermal management sector. Sophisticated thermal management systems will play an increasingly significant role for all potential drive systems of the future from internal combustion engines to electric drive – both batteries and power electronics – and to fuel cell.

It is also Mahle’s intention to acquire the joint venture of Delphi Thermal in China, which is represented in all global automotive manufacturing regions. Its products that range from HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) modules and AC compressors to cooling components, is seen as an ideal complement to Mahle’s existing thermal management activities, which have expanded significantly since the acquisition of the Behr Group in 2013.

This latest agreement will place Mahle in an even stronger position to serve the automotive industry as its global systems partner, while Delphi’s AC compressor technology will round out Mahle’s product range.