HELLA Electronics Plant Wins Coveted Ford Q1 Award

PLYMOUTH, Mich., May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- HELLA's San Jose Iturbide electronics plant in Mexico has received Ford Motor Company's top award for quality and customer service.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111116/DE08035LOGO )

Ford's Q1 award recognizes suppliers for outstanding levels of performance, product quality and service and is a prerequisite for suppliers seeking to win additional business from Ford.

Gerardo Manrique, Ford Supplier Technical Assistance (STA) manager; Barbara Doelle, Ford Purchasing site engineer; and Matthew Swis, Ford STA supervisor, presented the award to plant officials during recent ceremonies at the facility.  Located just north of Queretaro, the San Jose Iturbide plant has more than 400 employees and supplies Ford with vacuum pumps and accelerator-pedal sensors.

"Exceeding, not just meeting, Ford quality standards is our primary day-to-day objective at HELLA Electronics," said Dr. Martin Fischer, CEO of HELLA's Electronics Division in the Americas.  "Our employees take special pride in their work. This award clearly recognizes their dedication to providing Ford with products of the highest quality possible."

Opened in 2008, the San Jose Iturbide plant also has received HELLA's top global award for manufacturing excellence and quality in each of the past two years.

The company recently increased production capacity at the plant with the completion of a 50,000-square-foot addition. The facility currently manufactures accelerator-pedal sensors, body controllers, washer pumps and transmission-range sensors.

About HELLA:  HELLA KGaA Hueck & Co. develops and manufactures lighting and electronics components and systems for the automotive industry. Its joint venture companies also produce complete vehicle modules, air-conditioning systems and vehicle electric systems. In addition, HELLA has one of the largest automotive aftermarket organizations in the world, with its own sales companies and partners in more than 100 countries.

HELLA Group sales were $6.09 billion in fiscal year 2010-2011. 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 at 70 locations in more than 30 countries, including more than 3,800 research-and-development engineers and technicians. Additional information is available at www.HELLA.com.

SOURCE HELLA KGaA Hueck & Co.