HELLA opens new joint venture plant for lighting systems in China

Lippstadt/Tianjin, November 20, 2017. Together with industry and political representatives, Beijing HELLA-BHAP Automotive Lighting, a joint venture between lighting and electronics specialist HELLA and Beijing HAINACHUAN Automotive Parts Co. Ltd. (BHAP), a subsidiary of the BAIC Group, has opened a new plant for lighting systems in China. This will further expand its production capacities. The new site near the Chinese city of Tianjin is meant to serve the increasing demand for lighting systems while further expanding the international presence.

"The new plant will strengthen our market position on one of the world's major automotive markets", said Markus Bannert, Member of the HELLA management board and in charge of the Lighting Business Division, in the context of the opening ceremony. "When extending our structures locally here on site, we are also very consciously counting on collaboration with successful Chinese partners such as BHAP. And that is because such cooperation means that we will be able to meet the needs of local customers even better than ever before."

The plant in Tianjin is already the fifth lighting plant of HELLA in China. The production focus will be on LED headlamps, rear combination lamps, car body lighting and interior lighting. The plant comprises a production area of initially 12,000 square meters and a production capacity of approx. 1.2 million headlamps and car body lightings per year. The modular design of the new plant enables a tripling of the production area in the medium term. The site currently employs 100 persons. Over the next two years, that number is meant to increase to 250. The investment in the new plant is in the low to medium double-digit million euro.

“Tianjin, where the new factory is located, is of strategic importance to the Chinese automotive industry as many of our key customers are located nearby", adds BHAP General Manager Chen Bao. “HELLA is a perfect partner for BHAP, and we join hands to develop the automotive lighting business in this region and provide our clients with the best services and support.” The two joint venture partners have recently announced in the context of a letter of intent that the existing cooperation is to be expanded to the areas of electronics and aftermarket.

HELLA has been active on the Chinese market with its own production sites already since the early nineties. Currently, HELLA is employing approximately 6,000 persons at 13 production and development sites in China, some of which are part of joint ventures.