Hella and Minth JV opens second production plant in China

Back in August 2020, we reported on the joint venture (Hella Minth Jiaxing Automotive Parts Co. Ltd) established between Hella and the Minth Group to develop and market radomes (absorbent covers for radar systems) and illuminated logos. We learned recently that the JV has put a second production plant into operation in the Chinese city of Jiaxing, to meet growing demand. The permeable covers for radar systems can be manufactured in special designs according to customer requirements and embedded in the radiator grille or in a customer logo, for example.

Says Dr. Frank Huber, the Hella managing director responsible for the Lighting business group; “Radar and lidar covers, as well as illuminated logos, not only give vehicles a distinctive design, they also protect the sensor technology from the effects of the weather and are therefore relevant for ensuring automated driving functions.”

Ronghua Chin, founder of Minth, adds: “The cooperation between Hella and Minth has proven to be a success story after only a few months. The extent to which the competencies of the two companies complement each other is underlined not least by the good response the joint venture has received from the market so far.”

The new, highly automated plant in Jiaxing has an area of around 20,000 square metres and an annual production volume of initially around three million components; in further expansion stages, capacity is to be doubled to up to five million parts. The total investment in the new site, which also has a research and development centre, is in the low to mid double-digit million-euro range.