Huf Brings New Painting Facility in Tennessee into Operation (FOTO)

Velbert, Germany (ots) -

Huf North America Automotive Parts Manufacturing, Corp., a member
of the Huf Group, began operation of its new paint facility in
Greeneville, Tennessee (U.S.A.). The existing factory was extended
with an addition of 5,300 square meters. For the purpose of process
optimization, it will house automated paint application facilities,
as well as plastic injection molding.

The new plant has the capacity to produce around 12.5 million door
handles per year. With its five existing painting locations in Europe
and China, Huf has become one of the most significant providers of
painted door handles. In China, every fourth vehicle produced there
comes with Huf door handles. The new paint plant - which also offers
plastic injection molding, a pressure foundry, electronics
production, and assembly - means that the Huf vertical range of
production on the American continent now equals that in Europe and
Asia. "For around 75 years, we've produced door handles for the
automotive industry, and in the mid-1980s, we were among the first to
provide painted plastic door handles - at that point for Opel. Since
then we've constantly expanded our knowledge of this technology, and
today in Tennessee, we've brought one of the most modern plants into
operation," says CEO Ulrich Hülsbeck.

With the new plant in operation, the Huf Group has the capacity to
produce 72.5 million door handles worldwide per year for its
customers in the automotive industry. "We produce door handles for
vehicles from all prominent manufacturers, including brands such as
Rolls Royce, Mercedes and BMW, but also for many vehicles from Ford,
VW, Chrysler/ Fiat, GM, as well as Hyundai and Kia." A further paint
plant is currently being constructed in Pune, India, in order to
supply automotive manufacturers there. Beginning in 2015, Huf plans
to paint around 3.5 million door handles there.

About Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst

Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst develops and produces mechanical and
electronic locking systems, door handle systems, driver authorization
systems, passive entry systems, and car access authorization systems,
as well as systems for tailgates and rear doors, tire pressure
monitoring systems, and telematic systems.

Huf was founded in 1908 in Velbert, Germany, and it first began
supplying locks and locking systems to Mercedes-Benz in 1920. Today
Huf has around 7,000 employees worldwide, with locations in 14
countries. Over 400 development engineers work in offices in Germany,
the U.S., Korea, Romania, India, and China. In 2013, the Huf Group
achieved revenue of 1.1 billion euros.

For further information, contact
Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
Steeger Straße 17
42551 Velbert / Germany
Ute J. Hoppe, Director Corporate Communications
Tel. +49 (0) 2051/ 272 ? 572
Email: ute.hoppe@huf-group.com
www.huf-group.com