Hella Inc. Opens New Canadian Sales Office

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga., July 27 -- Hella Inc., the North American aftermarket subsidiary of automotive lighting and electronics supplier Hella, is opening a new sales office in the Toronto area.

"The new sales facility supports our plans for further expansion," says Wolfgang Benz, president of Hella Inc. "Our sales staff will be closer to our Canadian customers, allowing us to better serve this important market."

Located in Mississauga, just west of the Toronto city limits, the new office will be headed by Siegfried Tigges, Hella Inc.'s Canadian national sales manager, who is transferring to Toronto from the company's corporate headquarters in suburban Atlanta, Georgia. Tigges will supervise an initial staff of two, including a French-speaking consumer service representative.

Hella's 2,000-square-foot office facility will be located at 5650 Keaton Crescent in Mississauga's Heartland Business Park.

Special original equipment customers, other than global companies, will be managed by Hella Inc. - Canada. Supplies will continue to be shipped from Hella's warehouses in Mississauga and Peachtree City, Ga.

"Together with our team of sales agents, we expect this development to substantially improve our market penetration and customer service in Canada," Benz adds.

Located in suburban Atlanta, Ga., Hella Inc. is the North American aftermarket headquarters for Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., a global supplier which develops and manufactures components and systems for lighting and electronics for the automotive industry, including advanced driver-assistance systems to enhance safety and comfort.

In addition, Hella joint-venture companies produce complete vehicle modules, air-conditioning systems and vehicle-electric systems. Hella is one of the world's largest companies selling automotive 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 also 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.

Additional information is available on the Internet at www.hella.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos available on request.