Hella Opens New Electronics Factory in Romania

Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., a tier one supplier of automotive lighting and electronic equipment, has opened a new electronics factory in Timisoara, Romania.

Hella Electronics Romania S.R.L. will produce electronic components and systems such as pedal sensors, xenon ballasts, heating-control units and overhead-control units.

The new $12-million factory covers a usable space of approximately 88,200 square feet, with a production space of 51,600 square feet.

The factory will initially employ 200 people. Employment is expected to increase to nearly 400 in 2007. In addition to its manufacturing operations, Hella also is establishing a development group for body-electronic products at the Timisoara location.

Dr. Juergen Behrend, chairman and president of Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., and Jean-Francois Tarabbia, chief executive officer of Hella’s Automotive Electronics Division, joined the mayor of Timisoara, representatives of local government and faculty from a local technical university, to open the new production and development facility.

Hella expects to draw on graduates from a nearby technical university in Timisoara to support its staffing requirements. Around 4,500 students are enrolled at the university with majors in electronics and information technology.

Hella, a global supplier, develops and manufactures components and systems for lighting and electronics for the automotive industry, including advanced driver-assistance systems enhancing safety and comfort. In addition, joint- venture companies produce complete vehicle modules, air-conditioning systems and vehicle-electric systems. Hella is also one of the world’s largest companies selling automotive aftermarket parts and accessories, with its own sales companies and partners in more than 100 countries. Annual consolidated sales for the Hella Group total $3.8 billion.

Hella is one of the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany. A total of 24,000 people are employed in 65 production facilities, production subsidiaries and joint-venture companies. More than 2,900 Hella engineers and technicians work in research and development. Customers include all of the world’s leading automakers and system manufacturers, as well as the automotive aftermarket.