Hella is one of the top 50 global automotive suppliers and belongs to the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany. Worldwide, about 40,000 people are employed in more than 100 locations in over 35 countries. More than 5,800 engineers and technicians work in research and development within the company. Hella's name first appeared in 1908 as a trademark for acetylene headlights. In 1923, the manufacturing family Lüdenscheider Hueck took over the majority of the shares. The most likely explanation for the Hella brand is attributed to Sally Windmüller: He wanted to honour his wife Helen, in short Hella, and also wanted to use the playful association between this name and the German word heller (brighter). After World War II the company started to expand, so that in 1951 the first subsidiary company was founded in Wembach. Today Hella has six different production manufactures in Germany, which are located in Lippstadt, Bremen, Recklinghausen, Hamm (Bockum-Hövel), Nellingen and Wembach. Early internationalization and the creation of a global distribution network in the 1960s resulted in the company developing one of the largest distribution networks in the industry, including its own subsidiaries and partners in numerous markets worldwide. In 1961, for example, the first foreign production plant was founded in Mentone, Australia. Today Hella has more than 100 places of location in over 35 countries and is operating in the economic region of Europe, NAFTA/South America, Africa and Asia/Pacific.
