EQS-News: HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA: HELLA completes exit from HBPO

Lippstadt, 12 December 2022

HELLA successfully completes exit from joint venture HBPO

• 33.33 percent HBPO share successfully transferred to co-shareholder
  Plastic Omnium
• Purchase price at € 290 million, including a dividend of around € 8 million

HELLA, the automotive supplier operating under the umbrella brand FORVIA, today completed the exit from the joint venture HBPO Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH ("HBPO"). Following the approval of the responsible regulatory authorities, the 33.33 percent share in the joint venture has been successfully transferred to the previous co-shareholder Plastic Omnium. The purchase price amounts to € 290 million, including a dividend of approximately € 8 million. HELLA and Plastic Omnium had agreed on a corresponding share purchase and assignment agreement in July this year. On the one hand, HELLA is consistently continuing its proven portfolio management with the now successfully completed sale of shares. Above all, the company's profile as a focused technology company with the strategic core business areas of Lighting, Electronics and Lifecycle Solutions is to be further sharpened. On the other hand, the transaction is based on a possible use of the change of control clause by Plastic Omnium, which is stipulated in the joint venture agreement and can be used after the acquisition of the majority shares in HELLA by Faurecia.

HBPO is one of the world's leading suppliers of highly integrated front-end modules, with sales of € 2.2 billion in 2021. The company employs around 2,800 people at more than 30 locations worldwide. HBPO was founded in 2004 as an equal joint venture between the automotive suppliers HELLA, Behr (now MAHLE) and Plastic Omnium. In 2018, MAHLE sold its shares in the joint venture to Plastic Omnium.

Please note: This text and corresponding photo material can also be found in our press database at: www.hella.com/press 

About HELLA

HELLA is a listed, internationally positioned automotive supplier operating under the umbrella brand FORVIA. Within this factual group, HELLA stands for high-performance lighting technology and automotive electronics. At the same time, the company covers a broad service and product portfolio for the spare parts and workshop business as well as for manufacturers of special vehicles with its Business Group Lifecycle Solutions. HELLA has 36,000 employees at more than 125 locations worldwide and generated consolidated sales of € 6.3 billion in the fiscal year 2021/2022.

About FORVIA

FORVIA comprises the complementary technology and industrial strengths of Faurecia and HELLA. With over 300 industrial sites and 77 R&D centers, 150,000 people, including more than 35,000 engineers across 40+ countries, FORVIA provides a unique and comprehensive approach to the automotive challenges of today and tomorrow. Composed of six Business Groups with 24 product lines, and a strong IP portfolio of over 14,000 patents, FORVIA is focused on becoming the preferred innovation and integration partner for OEMS worldwide. FORVIA aims to be a change maker committed to foreseeing and making the mobility transformation happen. www.forvia.com 

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Markus Richter      HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA
Company spokesman     Rixbecker Straße 75
Tel.: +49 (0)2941 38-7545                  59552 Lippstadt / Germany
Markus.Richter@forvia.com     www.hella.com