Wednesday 2023-06-14

On 25 and 26 May, HELLA Saturnus Slovenia (HSS) was the scene of a not-so-common event: the entire HELLA management board visited the Slovenian Lighting site and learned about the regional business and the challenging conversion of production from conventional headlamp technology to Front Phygital Shields on site. HSS is already the second location to receive a visit from the entire HELLA management board this year. In January, they travelled to Romania for a visit to the HELLA plant there.

​Now, Johannes Wiesmann, Managing Director HSS, Boštjan Furlan, Head of Product Center Car Body Lighting, and Alexander Werner, Head of Sales Lighting, welcomed the five managing directors to Slovenia. The agenda included getting to know the local management team, presenting current development and production competencies, insights into sales activities and an outlook on future activities. In addition, the HSS development team presented current innovations and portfolio expansions to the guests. The focus was particularly on the latest acquisitions for the Front Phygital Shields.

​Inspiring exchange with young talents

​The official part was followed by a relaxed exchange with young talents from various fields. The young talents took the opportunity to put numerous questions to the members of the management. They were impressed by the broad range of topics - from the digitalization of production to the alignment of the different systems in the FORVIA Group, the integration of artificial intelligence as well as the cooperation with Chinese OEMS on the European market for electric vehicles. The participants were enthusiastic about the intensive exchange with the managing directors, who took considerably more time than actually planned.

​Visit to production

​Day two took the managing directors to the heart of the site: the program included a visit to production. In addition to detailed insights into the pre-production processes, the focus was on the many initiatives implemented by HSS for environmental sustainability. In addition, the top management visited the innovative headlamp production. As Managing Director of the Lighting Business Group, Yves Andres sums up HSS's pioneering role in Front Phygital Shields: "HSS is a kind of snowplow in this area, clearing and defining the innovation path for us as market leaders. We are impressed by the passion and competence with which the team here is preparing the challenging conversion from conventional headlamps to Front Phygital Shields, the production of which will start in 2025." Competition in the market is very high, he said. "We must therefore work every day to secure technological leadership in the automotive industry through innovative products and efficient production," Andres continues.​​ ​​