Global systems partner

Systems partner spanning the globe
Participation of MAHLE

Strategic alliances
Types of cooperation

Systems partner spanning the globe
Behr is a global company with approximately 17,300 employees, 38 production locations and regional R&D centers worldwide. We are a key systems and performance partner for the international automotive industry and have established ourselves as the leader in innovations for the engine cooling and air conditioning market.

Behr sets great store by continued growth. Therefore, promotion of our internationalization strategy is at the core of the company’s philosophy. We are expanding our presence in the Asian automotive markets and strengthening our commitment in growing markets such as Brazil, South Africa, and India. Our international expansion goes hand in hand with a clear commitment to our base in Germany. In the future, we will continue investing in the expansion of plants and development sites here.

Participation of MAHLE

In October 2010, the partnership with MAHLE rang in a new era in Behr´s history. MAHLE´s admission as a new shareholder has not only stabilized our company financially, it also opened up entirely new opportunities for both MAHLE and Behr in the high-growth sector of innovative thermal management. The aim of the move was to strengthen the market position and innovativeness of both companies and to further cut costs by tapping into synergies. In May 2013, MAHLE increased its holding in the Behr Group from 36.85 percent to approximately 51 percent, thus acquiring the majority share in Behr. Furthermore, an integration agreement has been concluded with the family shareholders, who hold the remaining shares along with MAHLE, enabling the full integration of the "Thermal Management" business unit, which will trade as MAHLE Behr, into the MAHLE Group. The transaction is subject to approval by the responsible antitrust authorities. The supervisory boards of the companies involved have already approved the purchase and integration agreement.

Strategic alliances
Behr, systems and performance partner for the international automotive industry, has made a name for itself as the leader in innovations for engine cooling and air conditioning. The global Behr network is the basis of this. Behr is a growth-oriented company whose focus is on customer satisfaction in all its activities. This means that Behr must continually find new answers to cope with rising productivity pressures and ever-increasing globalization. At the same time, we need to respond to automotive industry trends with future-oriented solutions and outsource the development of complex systems to suppliers more and more.

Intensive cooperation with well-known partners is the most efficient way for Behr to meet these ever-growing demands. Strategic alliances help Behr set itself apart from the competition and create clear added value for customers in Germany and abroad. In this way, cross-company cooperations are becoming an increasingly important foundation for Behr’s lasting growth in sales and profits.

Types of cooperation
At Behr, cooperations contribute to strengthening our systems competence and facilitating our entry into new markets. As a global systems partner, Behr enters into these relationships in various ways. Joint ventures and development partnerships are formed to extend our service portfolio.

In June 1999, Behr set a milestone in its 100 years of company history with the founding of Behr-Hella Thermocontrol ( BHTC ) in Lippstadt, Germany. Together, we produce control heads and control systems, as well as climate control sensors for vehicle air conditioning, among other products. This cooperation means a clear gain in electronics know-how for Behr.

In the very same year Behr and Hella also founded the joint venture, Hella-Behr Fahrzeugsysteme. This company was then merged in 2004 into a new joint venture with Plastic Omnium, the French specialist for body components and modules. Trading under the name Hella Behr Plastic Omnium, this JV is the only company worldwide specializing in the development and production of front-end modules. These complete assembly units primarily consist of lighting technology, engine cooling components, crash boxes, electronics, locks, air duct parts, and bumpers.

Behr Hella Service is a joint venture founded by Behr Service and Hella. The company, established in late 2005, was set up to jointly develop the global independent aftermarket for vehicle air conditioning and engine cooling. Behr and Hella each hold a 50% share in the joint venture. Although the JV is mainly active in the European independent auto parts market, it is further expanding its business at a fast pace. Due to the strong market position of its parent companies, the new firm has already established itself as one of the leading suppliers in its markets.

Joint ventures help to open up regional markets, for example in Asia and North America. Behr’s first joint venture was formed back in 1997 with the Indian Anand Group - resulting in Behr India. In the meantime, this joint venture has become one of the leading manufacturers of HVAC systems in India.

At the beginning of 2004, Behr took part in the three Chinese joint ventures SBTS, DBTS and SSB. With them, Behr’s entire product portfolio is available in China.