Hella Group, a manufacturer of lighting technology and electronic products for the automobile industry, has opened a development centre in Bánovce nad Bebravou. The centre will focus on the development and construction of rear lights for all European vehicle brands in the group's portfolio.
As of September 1, the first 35 designers will start working in the centre equipped with the latest technologies, increasing in number to 100 by 2023. So far, development know-how has been concentrated at the group’s headquarters in Lippstadt, Germany and partly in the neighbouring Czech Republic.
“By connecting a new, excellent workplace with a production plant, where the share of automation and digitisation is constantly growing, a highly efficient development and production complex with the highest quality of the final product will be created,” said Vladimír Huťan, vice president and country manager Slovakia at Hella and CEO of Hella Slovakia Lighting, as cited by the SITA newswire.
Frank Huber, a member of the group’s BoD, noted that Hella has the largest European plant manufacturing rear lights in Bánovce nad Bebravou, so development here will be directly interlinked with production.
“From a long-term perspective, this connection is a huge advantage as it significantly streamlines the entire process - from initial consultations with customers, through design, testing to final production,” said Huber.