Hella, Behr Hella Service to Market Visteon Products in Europe


PLYMOUTH, Mich., Dec. 26 -- Hella KGaA Hueck & Company, one of the world's largest companies selling automotive aftermarket parts and accessories and Behr Hella Service will partner with Visteon Corporation to sell aftermarket lighting, air-conditioning and engine-cooling components in Europe beginning in January 2008.

Hella will exclusively market Visteon lighting equipment for its European aftermarket business in Kerpen, Germany, while Behr Hella Service will become Visteon's vehicle air-conditioning and engine-cooling products sales partner.

Under the agreement, Hella initially will market an estimated 250 headlamps, fog lamps, combination rear lamps and rear direction indicators. In addition, Hella's product range will be supplemented by further devices from Visteon's future original equipment range. The lighting products will be sold under the Hella name brand.

"Through this exclusive sales partnership with Visteon's aftermarket division, we are strengthening our market position in the lighting and thermal management product segments in Europe," said Martin Herbst, CEO of Hella's Aftermarket and Special OE division.

Behr Hella Service will market more than 300 Visteon products for engine-cooling and vehicle air-conditioning for Fiat, Ford, Renault and Skoda, among others. These products will be sold under the Behr Hella Service brand. In Europe, Visteon's OEM customers include Audi, Citroen, Ford, Land Rover, Opel, Peugeot, Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen.

Behr Hella Service, the joint venture company between the automotive parts supplier Behr, a specialist in vehicle air-conditioning and engine-cooling and Hella, a specialist in components and systems for lighting technology and electronics, serves the global independent parts aftermarket for vehicle air conditioning and engine cooling together. The joint venture combines Behr Service activities in the independent parts aftermarket and the air-conditioning business of Hella's aftermarket organization.

Hella, a global supplier, develops and manufactures original equipment components and systems for lighting and electronics for the automotive industry, including driver-assistance systems enhancing safety and comfort. In addition, its joint-venture companies produce complete vehicle modules, air-conditioning systems and vehicle-electric systems. Hella is also one of the world's largest companies selling automotive aftermarket parts and accessories, with its own sales companies and partners in more than 100 countries. Annual sales for the Hella Group total $4.8 billion.

Hella is one of the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany. More than 25,000 people are employed in 70 production facilities, production subsidiaries and joint-venture companies. Nearly 3,000 Hella engineers and technicians work in research and development. Customers include all of the world's leading automakers and system manufacturers, as well as the automotive aftermarket.

Additional information is available at www.hella.com.

Source: Hella KGaA Hueck & Company

CONTACT: Ulrich Koester of Hella KGaA Hueck & Company, +49-29-41-38- 7566, ulrich.koester@hella.com, or Marty Habalewsky, mhabalewsky@usautocom.com, or Lauren Kiehler, lkiehler@usautocom.com, both of AutoCom Associates,
+1-248-647-8621 Web site: www.hella.com

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