US tycoon Wilbur Ross is to team up with LEAR CORPORATION to form a USD 3.5 bn joint venture to manufacture components for car interiors, subsuming the Collins and Aikman businesses which Wilbur Ross is in the process of buying up. In the joint venture, LEAR CORPORATION will manufacture components for car interiors (annual turnover of $3.5 bn, workforce of 20,000). Wilbur Ross will be investing several billion dollars in the joint venture, which may later be quoted on the stock exchange.