Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., Lippstadt: The automotive parts supplier develops and manufactures components and systems for lighting technology and electronics for the automotive industry. In addition, joint venture companies also produce complete vehicle modules, air conditioning systems and vehicle electric systems. Hella has one of the largest aftermarket organizations in the world for automotive parts and accessories, with its own sales companies and partners in more than 100 countries. The consolidated turnover of the Hella Group is around 3.9 billion euros. Hella is one of the top 50 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany. Nearly 25,000 people work in 70 manufacturing facilities, production subsidiaries and joint ventures all over the world. More than 3,500 engineers and technicians work in research and development throughout the company group. Customers include all leading vehicle and system manufacturers, as well as the automotive parts aftermarket.

Light: Intelligent headlamps adapt to the respective driving and weather situation, thus significantly improving driving safety. Based on Hella's VarioX module such headlamps create different light distributions automatically, e.g. country road light, motorway light, adverse weather light (extended fog light), active bend lighting and cornering light. VarioX is a projection system where the standard bulb shield for the conventional cut-off line for low-beam distribution has been replaced by a free-form cylinder. Located on its outside surface are several precisely calculated contours for the different light distribution patterns.

Today, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are increasingly being used as light sources for signal functions at the front of the vehicle as well. This trend will increase considerably in the coming years. The first full-LED headlamps, which also produce low beam and high beam, will be on the market in 2008. They open up new, far-reaching styling options and therefore great differentiation potential for automakers.

Even more forward-looking are light-based driver assistance systems, such as adaptive cut-off line, glare-free high-beam light and marker light. The camera-based control of the headlamp system creates new possibilities for optimum light distribution according to the traffic situation and thus significantly greater visibility than with conventional systems. At the same time, there is less glare for oncoming and preceding traffic. Hella is further expanding its competence in merging light and electronic functions through a combination with further comfort and safety functions, such as the Lane Change Assistant, traffic sign detection, rain-light sensor and cruise control (ACC).

Hella is implementing innovative technology in series production with combination rear lamps, too. The latest example is a combination rear lamp with three-dimensional plastic prism rods (light guides) arranged parallel as the tail light, with LEDs as light sources.
Hella is one of the main developers and manufacturers of pioneering concepts in ambient interior lighting systems for mid-range and luxury vehicles. These also include contactless control systems on an optical and capacitive basis.

Electronics: The area of electronic driver assistance systems is a field of innovation and growth. Hella is the first supplier to have started series production on three systems. Lane Change Assistant using a 24 GHz radar sensor system, ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) for the automatic regulation of distance to the next vehicle on the basis of infrared sensor technology, and a rear view camera system. All in all, Hella has a powerful technology portfolio here, including infrared time-of-flight measurement (Lidar = Light detection and ranging), 24 GHz radar, as well as camera sensors.

Body electronics/vehicle electric system: Data bus-capable electronic control units already cover a wide range of basic functions for the front and rear vehicle area (including all lighting and wiper functions, alarm control system, driver assistance and diagnosis systems). Overhead control units (complex light-electronics modules) take over the function of data bus network nodes. Further components of modern vehicle electric systems are the driver access and authorization system Passive Entry/Go, which communicates with a wide range of control units in the vehicle electric system (for example central electronics or door and seat control units), or the power management modules which optimize on-board energy management and improve the battery charge balance.
Hella is the European market leader in the field of intelligent level sensors. New is an oil filling level sensor on an ultrasonic basis, which is also used to determine the condition of the oil by continually monitoring oil viscosity, density and permittivity. Another Hella innovation is a rain sensor that can be integrated almost invisibly in the windscreen. The new sensor concept unites the functions rain, light, humidity and solar measurement for the first time, replacing up to three individual sensors.

Aftermarket: Hella has one of the largest global aftermarket organizations for automotive parts and accessories, with its own sales companies and partners in more than 100 countries all over the world. Through these, Hella supplies the automotive parts aftermarket and garages with a comprehensive and steadily growing range of parts in the main competence areas of lighting, electrics, electronics and air conditioning. In addition, the aftermarket and garages are given effective sales support in the form of a modern and quick information and order system (with online catalogue, Hella Aftermarket Club and TecCom) as well as competent technical service. The joint venture Behr Hella Service, which is responsible for the joint working of the global independent parts market for vehicle air conditioning and engine cooling, is on course for growth.

Network creates added value: Network Value strategy

Cooperation rather than concentration: In line with this aim, Hella enters project-related co-operations and works in joint ventures with independent suppliers, enabling the company to offer vehicle manufacturers an attractive alternative to mega suppliers in terms of innovative ability and global presence.
Hella cooperates with the Japanese supplier Stanley and the Korean supplier SL (formerly Samlip) in the field of lighting technology, for example.
HBPO GmbH is the only joint venture of its kind in the world and is extremely successful in the area of design, development, production and logistics for complete front-end modules with the suppliers Behr, Stuttgart/Germany, and Plastic Omnium, France.
BHTC (Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH), a further joint venture with the Stuttgart-based supplier Behr, provides vehicle manufacturers with complete system development for vehicle air conditioning and engine cooling. Intedis GmbH in Würzburg, a joint venture between Hella and Leoni, is an established partner for the software-supported design, assessment and optimization of electric and electronic architectures for all vehicle segments.
These examples demonstrate how Hella defines the term "customer benefit": Expert knowledge is linked and brought together in lean organizations with short decision paths. Hella is always open for new or extended partnerships, to be able to offer vehicle manufacturers optimum solutions with just the right partners.