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HELLA FORMS ALLIANCE WITH MINORITY SUPPLIER
Hella North America has formed a strategic alliance with Carter Group, Inc., a minority-owned company headquartered in Windermere, Florida, to produce and market automotive HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) actuators.
For Immediate Release
HELLA FORMS ALLIANCE WITH MINORITY SUPPLIER
PLYMOUTH, Mich. (PRWEB) July 2003 -- Hella North America has formed a strategic alliance with Carter Group, Inc., a minority-owned company headquartered in Windermere, Florida, to produce and market automotive HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) actuators.
Joe Borruso, president of Hella North America, said that under the agreement with Carter Group, both companies will manufacture actuators with their own trademarks, but Carter Group will sell them in the NAFTA region. Currently, Hella has a significant share of the world market for HVAC actuators.
Carter Group is a major supplier of HVAC power control modules and has recently entered the automotive actuator market. The companys CEO, Butch Carter, said, This alliance expands our offerings as a major supplier of component modules for HVAC systems to OEMs and creates a true NAFTA manufacturing footprint with facilities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico."
HVAC actuators operate air inlet, temperature or mode" doors in air-handling modules for automotive applications. Todays actuators use electrical motors and gear trains, unlike previous technology such as pneumatic actuators, which depend on a vacuum supply. Combining compact size, high durability and low noise, electrical actuators are a significant improvement for HVAC system controls in automotive applications.
Borruso said the agreement with Carter Group allows both companies to strengthen their positions in the field of automotive HVAC controls.
This new alliance fits right into Hellas ‘network value strategy," Borruso noted. By building an efficient network of independent supplier companies based on technology, innovation and global reach, Hella provides its customers with an attractive alternative to a reliance on automotive mega-suppliers. Carter Group is a minority company that has ‘high-tech capabilities."
About Hella North America
Hellas core business areas include automotive lighting, electronics, complete vehicle modules and the independent automotive parts aftermarket. Hella North America and its parent company, Hella KG Hueck & Company, have 22,990 employees at more than 54 manufacturing facilities, production subsidiaries and joint venture companies throughout the world. The company supplies all of the worlds leading auto manufacturers. Worldwide consolidated sales for Hella during the companys 2000-2001 fiscal year grew to more than $2.53 billion. Additional information about the company is available on the Internet at www.hella.com.
About Carter Group
Carter Group is a North American designer, developer and manufacturer of linear and pulse width power control modules for automotive HVAC systems, as well as climate control modules for seat heaters and coolers. It has several patents pending, including a number which have received office actions indicating claims will be allowed. It has offices in Windermere, Fla., Cincinnati, Ohio and Oakville, Ontario. More information is available at www.cartergroupcanada.co.
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Company Contacts
Dave Maronek
Hella North America
Phone: 734.414.0939
E-mail: dave.maronek@hellausa.com
Ulrich Koester
Hella KG Hueck & Company
Phone: ++49 29 41 38 7566
E-mail: Ulrich.koester@hella.de
Johan vant Hof
The Carter Group, Inc.
Phone: 905.827.2898
Media Contact
Laura Oliveto
AutoCom Associates
Phone: 248.647.8621
E-mail: loliveto@usautocom.com
URL: www.usautocom.com
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