Hella and Gutmann Found Joint Venture for Vehicle Diagnostic Systems

LIPPSTADT - August 18, 2008: The automotive supplier Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., Lippstadt, and the specialist for diagnostic systems, Gutmann Messtechnik GmbH, Ihringen, are founding a joint venture for vehicle diagnostic systems. The aim of the joint venture Hella Gutmann Solutions is the provision of garage-oriented technical solutions to problems in relation to vehicle diagnostics. The union combines the competence of Gutmann Messtechnik GmbH in the area of motor-vehicle diagnosis equipment and service units with the activities of Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. in the field of the provision of technical data for motor-vehicle servicing in the independent aftermarket.

Hella and Gutmann each have a 50-percent share in the joint venture Hella Gutmann Solutions. With the foundation of this company, the shareholders are aiming for a strong market position in Europe. The operational start of the the joint venture located in Ihringen is planned for 2008. The new foundation is subject to the agreement of the cartel authorities.

"Since its founding 40 years ago, Gutmann has developed into one of the leading specialists for vehicle diagnostic systems. For Hella, the foundation of the joint venture with the name Hella Gutmann Solutions is an ideal partnership and the optimum further development of its own activities in the field of technical data and control-unit diagnostics, which we started successfully with Hella DDS," said Dr. Jürgen Behrend, Chairman and President of Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., on the occasion of the announcement of the joint venture. "Since even the simplest repairs cannot be carried out without diagnostic competence, it is important to occupy this strategic field. With a strong partner like Gutmann, we have been very successful in doing so."

Kurt Gutmann, President of Gutmann Messtechnik GmbH, explained: "With Hella, we have found a partner that suits us very well, both in terms of strategic orientation and corporate structure. The international Hella sales network offers the possibility of further accelerating international expansion and of placing our competence as a partner of garages on a broader basis."

The new joint venture makes available to its currently already existing approximately 20,000 customers and sales partners a wide range of modern service units for vehicle diagnostics with corresponding data and services. Customers profit from the joint know-how of the partners: Gutmann contributes its high level of diagnostic and garage competence. This includes a hotline for control-unit diagnostics. Hella has a very deep and wide range of parts, as well as a powerful international sales network. The data and diagnostic system until now sold as Hella DDS will be brought into the range of the joint venture.

The new joint venture Hella Gutmann Solutions supplements the Hella Aftermarket "4+2" strategy - Light, Electrics, Electronics, Thermal Management plus Technical Service and Sales Support. Thereby, the company is extending its range by means of fully integrated complete systems for diagnostics and is strengthening its position as an "everything-from-a-single-source? supplier for garages in the case of data, test equipment, spare parts, training and hotline. This means that the complete garage process is supported in an optimum manner.

Both Hella (Halls 3.0/D91 and 8.0/J58) and Gutmann (Hall 8.0/M60) are attending this year's Automechanika 2008 in Frankfurt and will announce further information about the new joint venture there.