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HELLA LITHUANIA IS EXPANDING ITS ACTIVITIES: IT HAS STARTED MANUFACTURING A NEW PRODUCT IN LITHUANIA

2020 01 20

HELLA Lithuania has been operating in Lithuania for a year and a half, and is now starting to manufacture turbine air pressure actuators for all petrol cars in the European market. Prior to now, the German capital company has mainly manufactured separate components for lighting systems and vehicle electronics. This will be the first product to be manufactured in Lithuania and it will be sold directly to car manufacturers.

“Manufacturing this type of product represents an important stage in the development of the country. A fully automated production line has been dedicated to the manufacturing of the Waste Gate Actuator. With the current line readiness, it will be possible to manufacture several million actuators every year. The product will be manufactured in three shifts and twenty jobs will be created as a result. 12 technicians and operators will be responsible for the line maintenance and operations. The project will also include a team of eight types of engineers – quality, manufacturing, process, automation, testing, logistics and project management specialists – to be responsible for the line preparation, product quality assurance, packaging and delivery to the customer,” said the HELLA CEO, Michael Jarecki.

The actuator manufacturing process uses advanced technologies, such as the laser welding of plastic components, as well as automated systems that detect incorrect product components and isolate defective parts. The line is supplied with raw materials using an acoustic station.

The main function of the actuator is to regulate the air pressure of gasoline turbine engines. The actuator ensures that the turbine engine will react quickly and efficiently while the car is driven and when the speed pedal is pressed, so that the car starts accelerating without delay, reducing the fuel consumption and emissions.

Very high market demand

According to Jarecki, there is currently a huge demand for such products on the market. “This type of actuator is used in all gasoline engines. HELLA has been manufacturing various types of actuators for over 40 years, and has been constantly developing them to adapt to the changing consumer needs and market regulations. People are becoming increasingly concerned about ecology and comfort. With that in mind, the company is also developing smart electronics solutions that help increase energy efficiency and reduce CO2, as well as other environmentally harmful pollutants,” said the company’s CEO. “Forecasts for the coming years are predicting an increased electrification in the automotive industry, but the demand for internal combustion engines has remained and will remain high.”

The company also manufactures this type of actuator in Mexico, China and Romania. The Waste Gate Actuator stands out from the other turbine air pressure actuators available on the market, owing to its high temperature resistance and flexible electronic design. A patented technology allows for precise control of the actuator position and the power consumption is reduced by a dedicated drive system.

Fifth project in Lithuania

HELLA currently operates in more than 35 countries and ranks among the world’s largest manufacturers of automotive components. In September last year, the company opened a factory in Lithuania, situated in the Free Economic Zone of Kaunas. This is the 14th HELLA electronic components factory in the world. Currently, there are 146 employees working at the factory, who have come not only from Lithuania but also from other countries.

The manufacturing of the actuator is the fifth project to be implemented by the company in Lithuania. The German capital company started its operations here as a result of the growing investment environment, the high-tech companies operating in Lithuania and the number of qualified specialists.

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