Huf Mexico Officially Opened

Huf Focuses on International Expansion

VELBERT, Germany, July 20, 2010 -- Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG, supplier of car access, start and locking systems based in Velbert (Germany) focusses on further expansion and has been building up additional production capacity at foreign locations. The newly erected production site of the subsidiary Huf Mexico, which was founded in Puebla 18 months ago, was officially inaugurated this week. Huf Mexico supplies products to Ford, VW, GM, Kia and BMW.

Huf sees itself as a supplier of specialized sub-systems which are integrated in the body architecture of vehicles, especially after the expansion of its electronic know-how two years ago. Huf Mexico not only invested in the installation of assembly lines with plastic moulding but also in the erection of a production for electronic components. "We are aiming at offering our technologies and competence to our customers in a concentrated form", explains Ulrich Hulsbeck, CEO. "We expect the American market to grow and planned in a way that we are able to enlarge production capacity of currently 11,000 square meters at short notice." All in all about 17.5 million Euros were invested in the new subsidiary. At the moment Huf Mexico produces primarily locking systems, in future there will be a production for passive entry systems and car access systems as well as door handle systems, too.

The South American operation Huf do Brasil moves in the same direction and doubles its production area in order to serve new orders in the Brazilian market. In boom market China Huf had already started with a first subsidiary - Yantai Huf - in 1994. Shanghai Huf followed only three years later. There Huf is currently setting up a new electronic center to intensify the close contact with customers in the Chinese market. "We reply to the demands of Chinese automotive companies in order to realize specific requirements for the product development in their market."

Both subsidiaries enlarged their painting capacities for the production of door handles and garnishes lately. Also, last year two more companies, Changchun Huf and Yantai Huf Tools, were founded. The latter specializes in moulding, production of assembly lines and special machinery just like the daughter company Huf Tools in Velbert.

Having started in new markets with the help of joint venture partners in the beginning, the Huf Group later changed its policy and aimed at purchasing the shares of the joint venture partners or, after terminating the joint venture, re-starting business on its own. This is why Huf built up an Indian daughter company in Pune on its own, Huf India. Huf also acquired the shares Ficosa S.A. held in the two subsidiaries in Iberia meaning that Huf Espana and Huf Portuguesa are now 100 per cent in the ownership of the Huf Group.

In 2009 the Huf Group reached a turnover of 707 million Euros, employing 5,200 people worldwide. The family business runs operations at 15 locations in Europe, America and Asia.

    
    For further information:

    Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
    Dipl. Oec. Ute J. Hoppe
    Director Corporate Communications
    Steeger Strasse 17 42551 Velbert
    Tel. +49(0)2051/272-572
    E-Mail: ute.hoppe@huf-group.com
    http://www.huf-group.com

For further information: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG, Dipl. Oec. Ute J. Hoppe, Director Corporate Communications, Steeger Strasse 17 42551 Velbert, Tel. +49(0)2051/272-572, E-Mail: ute.hoppe@huf-group.com, http://www.huf-group.com