C Talk | Inteva Products: Powering Growth with Customer-driven Innovation and Global Synergy

In an era where transformation is the norm, how can companies accelerate into new lanes without losing control?

During the AUTO SHANGHAI 2025, Mr. Gerard Roose (hereinafter referred to as Mr. Roose), Global President and CEO of Inteva Products, and Richard Zheng (hereinafter referred to as Mr. Zheng), Vice President and Managing Director of Inteva Products China, shared their answer with Gasgoo: In an environment of boundless opportunities and mounting complexity, everything starts with the customer—and ends with value creation.

Whether it's dynamic resource allocation guided by customer demand, a dual-track innovation model that balances foresight with rapid response, or a globally coordinated R&D network energized by China's implementation speed, Inteva Products is leveraging its philosophy of "global mindset, local excellence" to sharpen its competitive edge on the world stage.

Headquartered in the U.S. and operating in 18 countries with over 9,000 employees, Inteva Products is a global supplier of highly engineered components and system-level solutions. Its portfolio spans window systems, door systems, interior components, electric motors, and electronics devices.

"We're deeply passionate about the automotive industry and the products we deliver," said Mr. Roose. "Our competitive edge lies in consistently delivering high engineering standards and top-tier quality—exactly what the industry demands today."

This dedication to high quality and engineering standards is matched by a uniquely agile approach to resource allocation across Inteva Products' diverse business lines. When asked how the company balances investment across product segments, Mr. Roose responded without hesitation:

"There's no internal debate—our allocation is always customer-driven. That's the only principle that matters."

He emphasized that Inteva Products' decades of experience and technological depth across all its core areas means no product line is treated as secondary.

"Every business and customer group is treated with the same level of professionalism," Roose explained. "In the long run, any strategy that favors one over another is simply unsustainable."

This flexible, demand-driven allocation model enables Inteva Products to continuously deliver exceptional engineering and quality across the board.

The company's customer-first logic has also proven especially effective as the industry transitions to new energy vehicles (NEVs). Mr. Roose noted that the surge in NEV adoption has unlocked tremendous opportunity—particularly in China, where Inteva Products' footprint runs deep:

"Today, around 85% of our business in China comes from battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and 95% of new orders are in that segment."

These figures not only highlight China's leadership in the global electrification push, but also validate Inteva Products' sharp focus on BEV-related innovation. Platforms like the AUTO SHANGHAI 2025 allow Inteva Products to stay closely attuned to the evolving needs of global OEMs and continually refine its product and technology roadmap.

At the same time, Mr. Roose made clear that Inteva Products hasn't sidelined its internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle business. With products like door latches, interior systems, and window regulators designed for high cross-platform compatibility, the company continues to support both traditional oil-fueled vehicle and NEV architectures.

By investing in modular design and engineering versatility, Inteva Products ensures its core components remain interoperable across multiple propulsion systems. This "new-meets-legacy" compatibility strategy helps the company mitigate risk and maintain operational agility amid industry upheaval.

This flexibility is enabled by close, integrated collaboration with customers. Mr. Roose revealed that as OEMs increasingly shift toward joint development models, Inteva Products has built a strong track record in co-innovation.

The key approach follows as: start by delivering consistent, high-quality execution on mass production programs to earn OEM trust—then get invited to participate in clients' early-stage R&D.

"By identifying pain points together and co-developing solutions, we're not only meeting customer needs more precisely, but also accelerating our own technological evolution," Mr. Roose said.

As Inteva Products builds full-spectrum capabilities, it continues to deepen its localized footprint in China. Mr. Richard Zheng shared that Inteva Products has now established a robust operational network in the country, consisting of three technology centers and five production sites that support the development and manufacturing of key products such as latching systems, window regulators, and electric motors, and electronics components.

While Inteva Products' interior systems business currently represents a relatively small share of its China operations, Mr. Zheng noted a major milestone: the company has already localized production of TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin) materials—laying the groundwork for more flexible and diversified supply solutions tailored to customer needs.

Behind Inteva Products' full-spectrum operations lies a deliberate and forward-thinking approach to managing customer concentration risk. As Mr. Roose explained, the company adheres to a clear internal policy: no single customer should account for more than 25% of total business. This guideline not only reduces overreliance on any one partner, but also aligns with many automakers' preference for supplier independence.

To maintain this threshold, Inteva Products actively pursues new customers while expanding its overall business volume—ensuring that growth in existing accounts is balanced by a broader, more diversified customer base. This strategy strengthens existing partnerships while continuously pushing teams to unlock new revenue streams, ultimately fostering a healthy and self-reinforcing customer ecosystem.

In China, Inteva Products' customer structure reflects a dual-track dynamic: a solid foundation with traditional OEMs, paired with rapid growth among NEV startups. Mr. Zheng noted that while 80% of current revenue still comes from legacy automakers, the focus of collaboration has fully shifted to electric vehicle programs. The remaining 20% is driven by partnerships with NEV startups, creating a balanced structure that both anchors the company in established markets and positions it at the forefront of industry transformation.

This ability to straddle both legacy and future mobility is a clear demonstration of Inteva Products' full-value-chain strategy and customer diversification efforts in action.

When asked about the strategic importance of China, Mr. Roose was unequivocal:"China holds a critical position in Inteva Products' global strategy—not only because of its market scale, but also because of its role in enabling global operational synergy within the company."

He pointed to procurement as a case in point. Inteva Products has built a sourcing system that balances global standardization with regional flexibility, allowing the company to dynamically assess cost and efficiency advantages of different regional markets including China. This collaborative decision-making model ensures that procurement delivers optimal value across both cost and performance dimensions.

In the face of relentless industry disruption, Inteva Products stands out for its clear strategic focus and resilient operating model. It doesn't chase every hot trend. Instead, the company remains anchored in its core strengths: letting customer needs guide direction; building a foundation on engineering excellence; applying high-compatibility technologies to expand market reach; using ecosystem diversity to manage risk.

This disciplined approach—neither overly cautious nor recklessly aggressive, but deeply collaborative—has become Inteva Products' moat. It enables the company to navigate generational technology shifts and ongoing market realignment with confidence and stability.

Mr. Roose and Mr. Zheng also shared perspectives on future innovation priorities, sustainability initiatives, talent development strategies, and how Inteva Products can support Chinese automakers in their global expansion. For more insights, watch the full interview and read the transcript.