This shows that the brand has no choice but to manufacture the highest quality headlamps, strobes and light bridges for distinctive signage. HELLA owes all this to the latest manufacturing technologies, continuous improvements and a constant quality control system.

The past, present and future of HELLA

The successful operation, which continues today, began in 1899. When Sally Windmüller founded the "Westfälische Metall Industrie Aktien-Gesellschaft" in Lippstadt. In those years, motorisation was a huge trend. Unfortunately, not everyone could afford to own a car yet, so many people opted for motorbikes. But all vehicles needed lights for safe transport. In the early days, these lights were only used to illuminate the area in front of the vehicle, as there were no flat surfaces on motorways and highways.

The company's first innovative product was acetylene headlamps, but they burnt out quite easily. This lamp was called System Hella, from which the whole company later took its name. That's why development was in full swing to deliver a much safer headlamp for car manufacturers. By the 1920s, bulbs were already being produced, and from 1924 Bilux bulbs were available to road users. After the Second World War, HELLA was back to what it really knew how to do.

At that time, the company was also undergoing a period of major growth, in parallel with the economic boom in Germany. In 1961, the company built its first factory abroad, in Australia. In 1986, the company's management decided to shed the past and use the HELLA brand name for the production and distribution of its products. Almost 17 years later, in 2003, the company became a public limited company, paving the way for HELLA shares to be traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange for the first time on 11 November 2014.

In 2022, HELLA and the French technology company Faurecia created the FORVIA Group, which with this merger became the world's seventh largest automotive technology supplier. This huge multinational company now employs more than 150 000 people worldwide.

HELLA's light bridges and flashers are renowned for their durability and robust design

The brand's roof lights, light bridges and distinctive markings guarantee maximum visibility, safety and facilitate work on site. The authorities, police, fire brigade and emergency services have always appreciated the innovative solutions, robustness and durability of HELLA's distinctive and warning signs.

HELLA's additional light signals, light bridges and rotating lights impress their surroundings with their large light-emitting surface. The brand's amber or blue indicators generate the signal electronically, without moving parts.

This ensures significantly less wear and tear compared to traffic lights with a movable reflector. Naturally, the warning and differentiation signals produced by the company also comply with ECE-R65 and SAE standards. What's more, thanks to their IP 6K7 protection class, they are not only fully dustproof, but can even withstand short-term immersion in water.