HELLA expands production capacities in China with new plant for lighting systems

Lippstadt/Tianjin, April 20, 2017. HELLA-BHAP Lighting, a Joint Venture between lighting and electronics specialist HELLA and Beijing HAINACHUAN Automotive Parts Co. Ltd. (BHAP), a subsidiary of the BAIC Group, is further expanding its production capacities by building a new state-of-the-art lighting production plant in Wuqing, close to Tianjin. Start of production at the new location is scheduled for October 2017. The joint venture is mainly serving customers of the BAIC Group, such as BBAC and BAIC Motor, as well as other Chinese car manufacturers.

Dr Rolf Breidenbach, CEO of HELLA, stated: "With BHAP, we have a highly trusted partner on our side with whom we will provide the innovative lighting products to our Chinese customers and continue our successful growth path on the Chinese automotive market." BHAP President Mr. Chen Bao added: "This further milestone in our partnership with HELLA will enable us to bring the latest in lighting technology to the BAIC Group. Lighting is an extremely important area for all automotive manufacturers with its contribution to safety, energy efficiency and styling."

In a first step, the new plant will cover a production area of approximately 12,000 square meters and have a production capacity for 1,2 million headlamps per year while employing about 250 persons. In the medium term, the modular design of the plant allows tripling the production space to be used for all kinds of lighting products.

Besides manufacturing for the Chinese market, HELLA-BHAP Lighting has a development team of more than 150 engineers developing and launching unique lighting products in the areas of headlamps, rear combination lamps, car body lighting and interior lighting.

HELLA already started at the beginning of the 1990's to build own production sites in China. HELLA is currently employing approximately 6,000 persons at 13 production and developments sites in China, some of which are part of joint ventures. In the fiscal year 2015/2016, the Chinese HELLA companies had sales in excess of 700 million euros.