HELLA has provided commercial markets with automotive and lighting solutions for over a century. Originally founded in Germany in 1899, the company underwent decades of growth and refinement before opening its first international outlet in Australia in 1961 as well as New Zealand in 1973, among a plethora of other markets.
Located in Mentone, Victoria, HELLA Australia has garnered a reputation as a renowned lighting solutions provider which produces robust lamps that deliver safety benefits to an array of truck fleets and drivers. HELLA Australia National Sales Manager SOE, Cameron Hoy, says the delivery of quality and safety has always been core to the business’ value proposition.
“Lighting is fundamental from a safety perspective,” he says. “People in the industry can look past it a lot, focusing exclusively on the likes of brakes and tyres to drive safely, but they miss a key quality of safe performance altogether when they do this. We take pride in producing our lighting solutions with absolute precision to ensure this safety.”
An indispensable product range to this is HELLA’s DuraLED lamp line, initially developed in 1998 in the company’s New Zealand market before being brought to the Australian transport sector. Acting as the introduction of HELLA LED lighting to many within the industry, the product line has been immensely successful due to its level of quality.
“The DuraLED was revolutionary for these markets when we launched them around 26 years ago,” says HELLA New Zealand Head of Product Management, Craig Beavis. “It was quite niche at the time and brought LEDs in front of the whole sector.
“The lamp became a big choice for fleets due to the large reduction of maintenance costs in the change from bulb lamps to LEDs. The technology was leading-edge at the time, but HELLA has since changed.”
This change, an innovative hunger on HELLA’s part to provide a higher quality product to its customers, has manifested in the revamping of the iconic DuraLED range for the first time in an entire generation. These lighting solutions have been upgraded with the latest technology for the next wave of commercial transport groups – firstly coming in the form of the recently developed DuraLED-S.
The DuraLED products now feature many modern technological capabilities within the manufacturing space while also including the classic aesthetic that is well-known by the market.
“This lamp sold nearly a million units,” says HELLA New Zealand Product Manager, Clark Berridge. “It is still a major market that we need to service. The product’s looks haven’t changed since its release but there have been major improvements to its circuitry, LED fittings and other componentry.
“Most customers don’t see the difference, but that’s the charm – it’s a new piece of technology which looks like the classic product that people love.”
DuraLED-S’ technological improvements are being matched by another release within the range expected later this year, an entirely redefined lighting solution known as DuraLED Prime which itself has undergone rigorous product testing to ensure top performance.
“We want to be careful in replacing such an iconic product in the market,” Craig says. “DuraLED Prime has gone through so many testing programs such as electromagnetic compatibility, load dump testing and a huge number of international automotive tests to be sure the product will carry the DuraLED name properly.”
Decked out with the latest technology such as swiping indicators, a glowing body tail and a built-in DT connector for plug-and-play connectivity, this lamp is being positioned in the market as an upscale lighting choice for fleets that wish to stand out on the roads and among other vehicles.
Despite these technological changes present in both products, the new DuraLED lamps will not sacrifice the range’s robustness. Cameron believes the original HELLA lighting solutions have proven to outlast the average 15-year lifespan of an Australian semi-trailer. To him, this longevity is a testament to the meticulous and dedicated design and testing of the HELLA team.
“We’re proud to say that advertising a lifetime guarantee with our DuraLED products is more than just a ploy,” he says. “It’s a reality. Knowing that the product has worked in the market for this period is valuable feedback in its own right. HELLA’s design and engineering teams have worked hard to pass this quality onto the next product generation.”
This diligent product testing process is not only limited to the DuraLED range. As Clark reveals, it is applied to all of HELLA’s projects.
“Designing our products to fit our high quality and safety standards is not easy,” he says. “We have a lot of standards we need to comply with in the worldwide HELLA system. We have tests for everything and it’s so much more than just passing an ADR check and throwing the product into the marketplace.”
While working as a quality guarantee for HELLA products, the DuraLED product range’s intense testing and subsequent durability has also proven to be key for sustainable practice.
The resilient nature of the lamps mean they can be replaced at a much slower rate, thereby reducing the amount used and eventually thrown away. This is integral to HELLA’s brand identity across its global markets and is a particular working goal in the company’s New Zealand branch (which is fully powered by renewable energy).
The environmentally conscientious design of HELLA’s products and operations serve as just more reason that Clark and the team proudly represent the company.
“One reason I’ve been with the company for so long is that I don’t have to make excuses for it,” he says. “HELLA’s products are safe, reliable and sustainable. Customers know they are done right by HELLA which is so important.”
The company’s latest DuraLED range releases are no exception to this quality promise. Daring to shake up its iconic product line with new technology and aesthetics, HELLA has shone a light on its unwavering commitment to providing customers with safest and most reliable solutions.
