Hella to Develop and Market LED Lighting Systems With Hubbell Lighting

PLYMOUTH, Mich., June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hella, a global automotive supplier of electronics and lighting, is partnering with Hubbell Lighting to develop and market a non-automotive application of its LED lighting technology in North America.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101019/DE84104LOGO )

The strategic partnership between the two companies is defined as a traditional cross-branding relationship in which Hella designs, develops and manufactures the light module or "engine", while Hubbell Lighting markets and distributes the lighting fixture into municipal markets.

The commercial LED light engine is designed for installation into existing cobra head style roadway fixtures. The LED light engine will be manufactured at Hella's facilities in Flora, Illinois.

The Hella LED module will be integrated into Hubbell's RM series roadway fixture at the company's plant in Christiansburg, Va., and also will be marketed as a retrofit kit for existing roadway luminaires. The product is an ideal entrant into the LED roadway market and is intended to replace 150-Watt high-pressure sodium and 175-Watt mercury lamps and fixtures. Hubbell Lighting will manage product marketing and distribution through its global sales network. The companies expect to introduce the new LED product line during the third quarter of 2011.

"We see tremendous growth opportunities for LED lighting in North America," said Steve Lietaert, vice president of program management for Hella Electronics Corporation who announced the partnership during a media briefing at Pine Lake Country Club in suburban Detroit. "LED technology offers an energy-efficient, low maintenance alternative to conventional lighting."

According to Richard Abernethy, vice president of Hubbell Outdoor, Industrial and Emergency Lighting, "The opportunity to retrofit existing street lighting provides municipalities a simple, cost-effective, sustainable solution for the growing need to conserve energy and control maintenance costs."

It is estimated there is an installed base of 34 million streetlights in place in the US.  

Known as an innovator in lighting technology, Hubbell Lighting leads the industry with the first LEED® Silver certified corporate headquarters in the lighting industry, which they located in Clemson University's International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) Millennium Campus in Greenville, South Carolina.

About Hella:  Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. develops and manufactures lighting and electronics components and systems for the automotive industry. Its joint venture companies also produce complete vehicle modules, air-conditioning systems and vehicle electric systems. In addition, Hella has one of the largest automotive aftermarket organizations in the world, with its own sales companies and partners in more than 100 countries.

Hella Group sales were $4.98 billion in fiscal year 2009-2010. Hella is one of the top 50 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany. Nearly 23,000 people work at 70 locations in more than 30 countries, including more than 3,500 research and development engineers and technicians. Additional information is available at www.hella.com.

About Hubbell Lighting:  An industry leader in lighting technology since 1888, Hubbell Lighting, www.hubbelllighting.com is one of the largest lighting fixture manufacturers in North America. The company provides a full range of indoor and outdoor lighting fixture products that serve the commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential markets. Hubbell Lighting brands include Alera Lighting. Architectural Area Lighting, Beacon Products, Columbia Lighting, Compass Products, Devine Lighting, Dual-Lite, HomeStyle Lighting, Hubbell Building Automation, Hubbell Industrial Lighting, Hubbell Outdoor Lighting, Kim Lighting, Kurt Versen, Prescolite, Progress Lighting, Security Lighting, Spaulding Lighting, Sportsliter Solutions, Sterner Lighting Systems, Thomasville Lighting and Whiteway.

Note to Editors:  Photos and additional information are available on request.

SOURCE Hella