French fuel cell manufacturer Symbio has obtained IATF certification for both the design and manufacturing of systems at its SymphonHy gigafactory in Saint-Fons.
Symbio has announced that it is the “first” hydrogen fuel cell technology player in Europe to achieve the IATF 16949 certification, the automotive industry’s reference standard.
Bureau Veritas granted Symbio the certification, which is based on the principles of ISO 9001, ensuring that products and services meet the quality standards of automotive manufacturers, “certifying their quality and reliability.”
In the French company’s online press statement, Philippe Rosier, CEO of Symbio, said this marks a “major strategic milestone for a Tier 1 supplier.”
Rosier added, “The certification of Symbio and its first gigafactory, SymphonHy, is a recognition of the Group’s organisational maturity, industrial rigour, and innovative strength.”
The CEO claimed Symbio will continue to meet the “most stringent demands of the automotive industry,” by prioritising “continuous improvement and operational excellence.”
The €1bn ($1.07bn) SymphonHy gigafactory project has been backed by the EU and French government. Speaking to H2 View last year, Rosier said, “We want to reduce unit costs and provide a solution to the market, which will be the best of two worlds.”
Read more:Symbio’s ambitious plans to produce 200,000 fuel cell units by 2030
Symbio has developed its fuel cell systems with Stellantis’ light commercial vehicle (LCV) applications in mind. “Because of our decision on to go to market being LCVs and pickups, we have prioritised our development on power density to be able to package our system under the hood,” the CEO explained.
