Hella Gutmann

Having employed over 7,000 people in research and development alone, Hella has created the 'world's first' of numerous car parts. It’s no surprise the company has made its mark as a lead innovator in the automotive industry.

Hella's sales of around 7.1 billion euros, 40,000 employees and operations in over 35 countries make them one of the largest European trade associations for automotive parts. They manufacture over 27,000 car parts and collaborate with joint venture companies to produce complete vehicle modules, air-conditioning systems and vehicle electrical systems.

With the reassurance of ‘fit first time’ compatibility for a multitude of automotive parts and accessories, Hella’s corporate culture is founded on entrepreneurialism, sustainability, performance and integrity.

The company also actively contributes to ecological health through innovative green automotive systems and compliance with all environmental standards in development and production. 

Hella Car Parts Timeline

Hella…

1899: was founded by Sally Windmüller as Westfälische Metall-Industrie Aktien-Gesellschaft (today known as Hella).

1910: became a trademark.

1937: developed the workforce until it reached 1,000.

1945: only had 45 employees following World War II.

1959: was established in the UK.

1961: began to operate on an international level.

1984: reached annual sales that exceeded 1M Deutschmarks.

1990: employed over 20,000 people worldwide.

2005: launched a joint venture with Behr thermal management experts for passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

2008: began a joint venture with Gutmann Messtechnik in the European diagnostics department.

2010: established new sectors in the UK IAM division: Passenger Car, Commercial Vehicles, Garage Equipment

2011: became the national distributor for the complete range of FTE CV products.

2015: relocated to Chipping Warden (Oxfordshire) to increase stock holding and provide ultimate availability across Europe.