Hella Partners Focus on Vehicle Architecture & Styling

PLYMOUTH, Mich., Oct. 18, 2004 -- Hella features leading-edge technology developed through its partnerships with other automotive suppliers at Convergence 2004.

"We have joined with global partners to share our expertise and to better integrate the best of today's new electronic and electrical technology," notes Joe Borruso, president and CEO of Hella North America. "We know this is the best way to provide a constantly improving range of products that provide world-class style and performance."

Hella's partners include Behr, Leoni, Plastic Omnium and Craft-Co Enterprises. Their technology will be showcased at Booth 1247 on Oct. 18-20, at Detroit's Cobo Center.

Hella, Behr and Plastic Omnium have joined forces to create an equally-owned joint-venture company to design, develop and produce automotive front-end modules.

Hella's automotive body electronics division is partnering with the wiring systems division of Leoni AG. Intedis is a Hella-Leoni joint effort to develop architecture for integrated vehicle-electronic-distribution systems, comprised of wiring harnesses and network-and-electronic systems for optimal distribution of energy, data and signals.

Hella recently formed a joint-venture company with Craft-Co Enterprises Inc. to supply automotive interior-lighting systems. Its ILUMA joint-venture company will combine Hella's interior lighting expertise with Craft-Co's electronics manufacturing capability to develop and produce a wide range of emerging automotive interior-lighting products.

HBPO is the only company in the world exclusively dedicated to front-end modules. Each of the three partners is a leader in its respective business: Hella in lighting and electronics; Behr in air-conditioning and engine-cooling systems, and Plastic Omnium Auto Exterior in body parts and modules, as well as impact-absorption and pedestrian-protection systems.

Front-end modules are fully-equipped systems ready for installation on new-model assembly lines. Each module includes a structural frame on which can be fitted headlamps, auxiliary lights, engine-cooling and energy- absorption systems, air guides, electronic devices and hood latches, as well as various reservoirs, bumpers and other components.

Intedis is evaluating vehicle electronic architecture, including technical and economic parameters, to produce an efficient design for electric and electronic distribution systems, including wiring system and electronic components.

One of the key focal points for Intedis is populated wiring technology, in which switches or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be directly implemented with flexible flat cables or flexible printed circuit boards, allowing design creativity for ambient lighting in the grab handle, the dashboard or other project-specific applications. Intedis also is developing innovative solutions for tail and brake lights, integrating LEDs and electronic components on a flexible circuit board.

Lighting, electronics, complete vehicle modules, air conditioning systems, vehicle wiring systems and signal processing for the automobile industry, as well as automotive aftermarket components, are the core competence fields of automotive supplier Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. Sales for the Hella Group are approximately $3.8 billion, placing Hella among the top 100 German industrial companies.

With its corporate headquarters in Lippstadt, Germany, the company employs more than 22,800 people at 61 manufacturing facilities, production subsidiaries and joint-venture companies in 18 countries. Over 1,800 engineers and technicians work in research and development. All of the world's leading automobile and systems manufacturers are Hella customers, as well as the automotive components aftermarket.