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HELLA AUTOTECHNIK NOVA S.R.O

A mainstay of Czech industry

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LIGHTING UP EUROPE’S AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY How HELLA AUTOTECHNIK NOVA s.r.o continues to supply leading automakers headlamps and rear lights from its plant in the Czech Republic Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

utomotive lighting is big business. A crucial part of the ever-complex vehicle manufacturer supply chain, the global market for these products is expected to hit $33.7 billion by 2020, growing at a rate of almost seven percent a year. With the likes of LED and Xenon offering alternatives to traditional halogen bulbs, the sector is undergoing a transition which is underpinned by vibrant research and development activity. Factor in a growing population and increase in auto production, and the future certainly looks bright. In Europe, vehicle headlamp and rear lamp producer HELLA AUTOTECHNIK NOVA s.r.o is more than keeping up with the wider industry. It is part of the wider HELLA organisation, a German company which is growing markedly

stronger than the continent’s automotive market. In August, HELLA announced sales increases of 9.3 percent for the fiscal year ending May 31 2018 – this equates to €7.1 billion, up from €6.6 billion from the previous period. In the Czech Republic, HELLA AUTOTECHNIK continues to play its part in this story of rapid growth. Petr Novotný has been the Company’s Managing Director around two and a half years. An industry veteran, he explains why he decided to make the move back in 2016. “I have spent all my professional life in the automotive industry, mainly Tier 1,” he says. “My father was part of my inspiration and decisions – he was working in automotive as well, in R&D, including OEMs and motorsport.

“I have been a member of HELLA since April 2016. Lighting is a very dynamic, complex and challenging segment. It fits to my personality.”

Petr Novotný, Managing Director

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A FOURFOLD OPERATION HELLA AUTOTECHNIK’s operations can be divided into four major components. These include: Manufacturing: Production is the largest department of HELLA in Mohelnice, where operators and top experts, aided by the latest technology, produce some of the most modern headlamps and group lamps seen on the market today. Technical centre: Operating in Mohelnice since 1995, HELLA’s development hub was responsible for the design of the Company’s first lights which were supplied to Škoda for its Felicia model. IT: This business unit comprises more than 100 IT experts working with CAD systems and global networking, programming, data analysis, virtual technology, production support and end-users. They are based in Mohelnice and nearby Loštice. Supporting departments: Other functions of business which help ensure the smooth running of HELLA AUTOTECHNIK. These include divisions such as finance, HR and marketing. A mainstay since 1992

Now, HELLA AUTOTECHNIK is one of the biggest employers in the Czech automotive industry. Having been established in 1992, operations at its plant in Mohelnice, based in the Olomouc region in the east of the country, began in 1994, with Škoda being the recipient of the first goods off the production line. A product development centre opened shortly after, with a new testing centre coming online in 2004 and a design office opening in nearby Ostrava in 2011. The Company’s physical presence also extends to Loštice, where its IT department is based. This activity since the turn of the millennium has coincided with a ramping up of production and scale at Mohelnice, reflected by growing employee numbers. In 2007, the firm had 1,000 employees on its books, and since 2014 staff numbers have more than doubled to the 3,550-plus working at the three sites today.

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DYNACAST

s the leading supplier of precision metal components, Dynacast’s products can be found across a multitude of sectors, from consumer electronics to medical devices to power tools. With over 80 years’ experience in assisting manufacturers with the design and execution of cost-effective solutions, Dynacast is readily positioned to provide its customers across all industries with engineering expertise, efficient operations, and advanced quality planning systems. Dynacast prides itself on having a diverse range of capabilities, reflected by its work in the automotive industry, supplying OEM and Tier-1 automotive manufacturers across the globe with thousands of bespoke components each year. This is no better reflected than in the Company’s partnership with HELLA, providing the firm with a selection of different components. These include Dynacast Austria’s delivery of aluminium heat sinks for LED lights; Dynacast Spain’s production of cosmetic key fobs; and Dynacast Germany providing HELLA with crucial connectors. Throughout its extensive portfolio both within and outside of the automotive industry, Dynacast ensures that it consistently maintains the highest quality standards throughout its design, development, and manufacturing processes leveraging innovative techniques that have continued to redefine the manufacturing industry. Operating 23 die casting and manufacturing facilities across 16 countries, Dynacast has assembled a global team of adept staff that are able to flexibly cater to any of its customer’s needs, offering end-to-end solutions from concept to prototyping to fullscale manufacturing. C Sergio Perino T +39 011 9269566 Int. 226

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SERO

s one of the top ten electronic manufacturing services (EMS) suppliers in Germany, SERO offers more than 25 years’ experience and leading expertise to its entire client portfolio. Whenever we sign a confidentiality agreement, our partners can rest assured that we ensure and maintain absolute discretion with the information we acquire, whilst enriching our client offerings by leveraging our leading industry team and process knowhow. Either a one-stop-shop for true E²MS support or pure contract manufacturing, we rely on the strong relationships that we readily develop with our customers – a value that we hold key at SERO. We offer automotive, industrial, building technology, medical technology and consumer EMS solutions, taking pride in our diverse range of capabilities, with all of our production certified according to IATF 16949, ISO 90001 and ISO 14001.

During its time HELLA AUTOTECHNIK has produced 5.2 million headlamps and 1.9 million rear combination lamps, with more than 460 employees working on product development alone. “We have the second largest design centre in the global HELLA network,” adds Novotný. “This incorporates a test laboratory and acts as a shared services centre for IT, central functions, systems and corporate engineering solutions. “We specialise in advanced lighting products, which is reflected by our customer portfolio. R&D is therefore a key element, and we work with, for example, many leading LED suppliers.” As Novotný eludes to, HELLA AUTOTECHNIK supplies a broad range of automakers which includes also the big German premium brands.

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Flexibility is a culture that is embedded in the Company; reflected in the fact that we can offer end-to-end services, from procurement to production to warehousing. Our highly skilled and motivated staff are adept in using some of the EMS industry’s most advanced and complex automated machines, something that allows us to consistently supply the highest quality products at competitive market prices. With our employees capable of designing specific products and assembling equipment for light, sensor and power applications on demand, our services in most cases result in faster time-to-market solutions for our customers. Come and see us at www.sero.de or send your problem to mail@sero.de. Together, we can solve it.

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w w w . se r o. d e Faster, highest quality, highest efficiency - Champions League. We are playing in the top leagues of EMS and EÂ˛MS industry with one of the most modern and most innovative train of machines. We are proud to be one of the top EMS suppliers for HELLA worldwide.

rofian, a manufacturer of automation technology units, offers tailor-made solutions to all customers who want to automate their production processes. A purely Czech-based, family-owned company is proud of its nearly 20 years of experience in the development of singlepurpose machines and assembly lines and in manufacturing process automation in the automotive industry and in lighting equipment.

components of headlights for premium car models. We can mention fully automated stations for lens laser welding, resistor welding or ultrasound welding, riveting, automatic application of thermal grease and testing including light positioning and setting.

Since 2012, Krofian has been cooperating in this area with HELLA, a major global manufacturer of lighting components and systems.

One of the technology used in the production of modular components of headlights is a system of automatic application of thermal grease.

During this continued cooperation, usually on multiple parallel projects, Krofian has completed many automation contracts. These included manual production lines, semi-automated stations including assembly and test tools and sets as well as full-range production lines with multiple technology nodes for various HELLA plants in Europe and overseas.

Among other things, there is a system for connecting plastic components which use resistor- or ultrasound-welding systems.

In the early stage of its cooperation with HELLA, Krofian created a ‘customer unit’ for this purpose. It is a specialized team of experts including a project manager who is dedicated solely to projects implemented together with HELLA. One important feature of this unit is their thorough knowledge and participation in the development of Hella’s technical standards. To give an example, we can mention our participation in the introduction of a new control system standard where Krofian was the first supplier of an extensive production line for HELLA that complied with this newly defined standard. We have seen a sharp growth in automotive design, which also includes lighting technology for cars. Therefore, the equipment and production lines need to meet every stricter and more specific requirements. Nevertheless, with its capacities and experience, Krofian is able to react to this development, as evidenced by the recently completed projects for LED modular

Welding systems have the form of fully automated stations equipped with industrial robots and laser technology with process control.

We could extensively describe the use of test and setting equipment and tools for the final quality control of optical outputs and parameters of lighting products. Nearly every line we have supplied was equipped with multiple systems to control the headlight or LED module lighting output. These systems work with a light range and pattern projected on a screen. Depending on the measured values, the light parameters are set online using special algorithms by positioning the headlight lens against the LED source. In the Kočovce plant in Slovakia, Krofian was the first supplier of the well-proven light box system. Today, we mostly use an integrated light box system, which is one of Krofian’s unique products. The company’s financial stability, with yearly sales at nearly EUR 20mn and exports accounting for nearly 50% of its production, and ongoing innovations have earned it several major awards. It´s e.g. Dun & Bradstreet’s (D&B) Top Rating based on their analysis of our corporate figures.

T +420 487 882 288 E obchod@krofian.cz

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EME

The sense of technology is our integral sixth sense. It is the sense of the essence of things and the soul of the machine, the effort to achieve a perfectly tuned technology, the desire for absolute perfection. It allows us to listen to the intuition, to discover the untested, and to always offer more than is required from us. There are no limits with this sixth sense

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Setting HELLA apart

There are numerous factors which Novotný proudly states as reasons why HELLA stands apart from others operating in a competitive automotive supplier industry. “Our reach, rich and successful history, formidable team and advanced in product development, and recent growth of our global footprint are all differentiators,” he says. “Our market position is a mirror of this background and company strategy.” Continuous improvement, Novotný adds, will be vital if the Company is to retain its position as a national and regional market leader. “We are always looking for the upcoming trends,” he continues, “and being close to our customer will ensure we have the ability to serve the right solutions. “We have to monitor closely what is impacting on the products and on the technology, we must be ready for it. The needed skills and knowhow

CASE STUDY: LEDS AND THE AUDI A8 In May 2018, HELLA and Audi unveiled new LED lighting technology that has been installed in the German automaker’s A8 model. The new HD Matrix LED headlamp technology produces dynamic low beams with an efficient LED lens module, enabling precise road course illumination and granting drivers better vision of the road. A special feature of the system is how the modules consist of glass and combine primary and secondary optics in a single body. This avoids most scatter loss.

The Matrix headlamp has also been developed with a rearranged set of LEDs – 32 LEDs are now situated in a joint module along two rows. Control of the lights is determined by a front camera, and as soon as it recognises other vehicles or road users, the control unit turns off or dims individual LEDs in order to avoid glaring. The system has also been designed to adjust to curves in the road, both on high and low beams. “In the low beam, the optical concept of the lens module ensures that each LED can be attributed to a specific area of the road,” HELLA explains in its announcement. “When driving in curves, the respective light focus will shift. When driving with high beams, the high beam LEDs of the HD Matrix LED headlamps will shift the light towards the progression of the curve.” The Audi A8 is the first model in serial production which will be using this technology.

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have to follow the future needs. So, advanced planning is important, as will be the growth of the current team to bring the skills in from outside, and also from other industry segments.”

Collaboration

Such expertise may also come from other organisations, key partners in HELLA’s operations. Novotný has already pointed to important collaboration with numerous suppliers in the area of LED lighting, and Czech-based Krofian is one such company. The partnership dates back to 2012 and has involved the completion of several projects and contracts, including work on manual production lines, semi-automated stations such as assembly and test tools and sets, as well as full-range production lines with multiple technology nodes. In the LED space, Krofian has installed bespoke production lines which

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incorporate leading edge technology, for example a system of automatic application of thermal grease. This procedure is used to ensure a stable transfer of heat generated during lighting by the LED technology. Krofian’s equipment implemented in production lines ensure that thermal grease is applied evenly along a controlled route of application and camera control to assure that quality requirements are met.

Looking ahead

By partnering with fellow pioneers, HELLA will remain at the forefront of innovation and ensure its own operations serve as a flag bearer for the industry at large. Novotný goes on to explain exactly which trends he believes have been the most influential in recent times, and ones which HELLA is subsequently keeping a close eye on. LED lighting, once again, comes to the fore.

TELKOM

elkom is a company with a rich tradition in the field of highpressure die-casting of aluminum alloys. Our castings are bulit-in in different products of various kinds throughout the world. We are proud of our employees, of our customers and of our yearly business growth. One of our main goals is to act socially responsible. Our relation with HELLA started more than a decade ago with just single projects. In all these years we gradually expanded our business and are now working on many different mutual projects and together with Hellawe built a partnership.

T +386 / (0)3 / 56 27 711 E info@ telkom.si

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“Extension of LED technology for sure will impact across all of our various product segments,” he adds. “Now we are also faced with new challenges and opportunities, like safety, autonomous driving, electric vehicles and car body lighting, to name a few.” These trends look set to continue transforming the automotive market for years to come, but what are Novotný’s immediate priorities for the future? He concludes: “We will continue to work on our 2020 strategy. The level of the fulfilment will be the best indicator or scale to measure our performance. Generally, I want us to carry on being known as lean, fast and ahead of our competitors.” Hella Autotechnik Nova s.r.o Tel: +420 583 498 112 hella.cz@hella.com www.hella.com

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EME

Aluminum. Long tradition. Years of experience. Lot of knowledge. Everything in the field of high-pressure die-casting. This is Telkom from the heart of Slovenia.

TELKOM d.o.o. Cesta Točke Čeč 45 SLO - 1420 Trbovlje T: +386 / (0)3 / 56 27 711 E: info@ telkom.si www.telkom.si

iti

YOUR IDEA IS OUR CHALLENGE WE REDEFINE COMPOUNDS Automotive

www.bill-plasty.cz Custom production of plastics and corrugated cardboard • Vacuum molding of sheets and foils - production of covers for rotating parts of machines, skeins bowls and hoods • Tailor-made forks for parts and components • Blisters for packing goods • Manufacture of corrugated cardboard packaging • Manufacture of plastic and cardboard products Třebovská 60, 789 85 Mohelnice • tel.: +420 583 430 830 e-mail: bill@bill-plasty.cz

INNOPOL automotive materials are widely used in many application areas of a car, providing further advantages to the end users. Under-the-hood lamp-housings, battery compartments, air deflector parts, cable channels, engine covers Interior door panels, sun-visors, seat covers, air grids, pillar trims, consoles, glove boxes, HVAC parts, instrument panels Exterior bumper parts, grills, trims, boot casings, hubcaps, mudguard parts

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HELLA AUTOTECHNIK NOVA s.r.o Družstevní 338/16, Mohelnice, 789 85, Czech republic Tel: +420 583 498 112 address:hella.cz @hella.com www.hella.com