Valeo, a history steeped in rotating machines

Valeo's History Steeped in Rotating Machines

1 in 3 Cars Worldwide Fitted with a Valeo Unit

As it stands, one in three cars worldwide are fitted with a Valeo unit, and 4.5 million starters and alternators are produced by Valeo every year.

A Legacy of Innovation

In 1918, Valeo (then Paris Rhone) invented the first starter, the dynamotor, only three years after being founded. This was followed by the founding of Marchal in 1923 and Ducellier in 1937. Jump forward 47 years and all three companies were united under the common brand, VALEO—what would soon become a byword for innovation and expertise in the world of starters and alternators.

In 1989, a new plant was opened up in Isle d’Abeau, Lyon, which specialized in starters, and over the next thirty years, there would be major innovations that would culminate, in the past two years, with developments such as Stop and Start, the i-StARS, and the iBSG. More than 43 million Valeo starter generators are currently in circulation across the globe.

Outstanding Quality is Valeo’s Mission

Over a lifetime, commercial trucks will experience some of the toughest operating conditions a vehicle possibly can.

Under the hood, medium and heavy commercial vehicles are exposed to high temperatures, constant vibrations, and aggressive liquids such as oil, coolants, and cleaning products. On the outside, vehicles undergo hugely differing weather conditions and extreme temperatures from cold polar winds to hot desert sun, as well as traversing an array of terrains such as asphalt, mud, dust, and sand, with different states of disrepair and in unexpected traffic situations.

Given these extremely difficult conditions, Valeo develops its starter and alternators for Commercial Vehicles with the highest specifications. For instance, new starters have to reach a minimum of 40,000 cycles while alternators must achieve 1,000 hours at 90° and high speed rotation. In addition, all products are 100% tested at the end of the production line. Valeo starters and alternators for Commercial Vehicles provide excellent reliability in the toughest operating conditions.

3 Ranges with a Warranty Scheme Like No Other

The Valeo offer consists of 3 ranges. Each one offers excellent value and together they cover 90% of the market. They are ORIGINS, RE-GEN and CORE-FLEX.

• ORIGINS: The best quality offer with 100% new parts, ensuring durability and reliability as good as the original equipment. The warranty scheme is 3 years/300,000 km.
• RE-GEN: The best price offer with 100% eco-friendly remanufactured starters and alternators with a surcharge. Fully tested with the same technical and functional characteristics as new ones. Comes with a 2-year warranty/200,000 km.
• CORE-FLEX: A competitive offer made up of a mixture of remanufactured and new ones, with no surcharge constraint and an ecological discount for customers returning cores to Valeo. Comes with a 2-year warranty/200,000 km.

With Valeo’s proven track record in producing top quality rotating machines, strong R&D, stringent quality control, and a professional warranty scheme, Valeo has guaranteed its place at the forefront of the rotating machines market for years to come.