HELLA Lithuania further expands its production portfolio

Kaunas, 30 October 2019. HELLA Lithuania has been operating for a year and a half. With the just launched manufacture of Waste Gate Actuators, the site is now further expanding its product portfolio. This will be the first final assembly product and already the fifth project to be manufactured at the HELLA location in the Lithuanian region of Kaunas. Prior to now, the plant has mainly manufactured separate components for lighting electronics.

 

“The first final assembly product is an important milestone for the further development of the plant”, says Michael Jarecki, Managing Director of HELLA Lithuania. “For the production of the Waste Gate Actuator, a fully automated production line was installed with which we can produce several million actuators per year. We will manufacture the product in three shifts, creating around twenty jobs.”

 

The main function of the actuator is to regulate the air pressure of a turbocharged engine system. The actuator ensures that the turbine engine will react quickly and efficiently while the car is driven and when the accelerator pedal is pressed, so that the car starts speeding up without delay, while reducing the fuel consumption and emissions at the same time. The Waste Gate Actuator stands out from the other components on the market, due to its high temperature resistance and flexible design. HELLA also manufactures this type of actuator already in Mexico, China and Romania.

 

In addition to the Waste Gate Actuator, the plant in Lithuania acquired further production orders, including the launch of 24 GHz radar sensors with an anticipated start of series production at the beginning of 2020. Currently, some 150 HELLA employees are working at the location. Until end of the fiscal year 2019/2020, the number of employees is intended to increase to 200.

 

Very high market demand

 

According to Michael Jarecki, there is currently a huge demand for such products on the market. “This type of actuator can be used in all gasoline engines. HELLA has been manufacturing various types of actuators for over 40 years, and has been constantly developing them to adapt to the changing consumer needs and market regulations. People are becoming increasingly concerned about ecology and comfort. With that in mind, the company is also developing smart electronics solutions that help increase energy efficiency and reduce CO2, as well as other environmentally harmful pollutants,” said Jarecki.