PLYMOUTH ? Auto electronics and lighting systems supplier Hella is hiring engineers, project managers, and sales people as the company expands its manufacturing footprint and introduces new fuel-saving technology.
The company added more than 50 jobs in Illinois and Michigan last year and plans to fill upwards of 40 new positions throughout the Americas in 2011, said Dr. Martin Fischer, CEO of Hella?s Electronics Division in the Americas and president of the company’s Corporate Center USA in Plymouth, Michigan.
“Our electronics business in the NAFTA region alone grew on an annualized basis of more than 20 percent,” the Hella executive reported. “To meet current customer demand, we plan to further expand facilities in the U.S. and Mexico.”
Sales Vice President Mark Brainard said is looking to hire more people in Plymouth at its product engineering and corporate offices.
?We cut a lot of people in the past two-and-a-half years,? he said. ?Starting in mid 2010, we overhauled our strategy, generated good profitability and are aggressively hiring again.?
Hella makes products that improve energy efficiency, sensors, and energy management. Some of the hottest new products are driver assistance and rear facing radar systems.
Steve Lietaert, Vice President of Program Management, said help is needed in Energy management and sensors, such as radar sensors and intelligent battery sensors.
In Lighting products, there are open positions for electronic hardware engineers, software engineers, CAD engineers, quality engineering as well as product management. Hella also is looking to add to management staff.
?We?re adding 10 people now, with another 20 open positions to fill in our Plymouth facilities,? Lietaert said. ?It?s more difficult and challenging to find people in the area now. We?re expanding our search to include different states.
Hella also is now looking for less experienced engineers, including those coming out of college this month, Brainard said. Hella has about 200 employees in its Plymouth North American headquarters, with another 300 at a plant in Illinois and nearly 2000 at lighting plants in Mexico.
The Illinois facility makes body control modules, powertrain control modules, rain sensing and Stop-Start systems.
?It enables the engine to turn off when idling,? Brainard said. ?You still need to keep auxiliary functions operating when the engine isn?t running, like the heater and head lights. We supply a better sensor that measures voltage, current and temperature. It makes you have sure enough energy to restart the car.?
To help meet its need for engineers in a variety of technology areas, including radar- and camera-based driver assistance systems, sensor-based energy management systems and automotive lighting, Hella recently named Heather Bender director of human resources for its automotive electronics, lighting and corporate business operations in the United States.
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