Behr-Hella Thermocontrol

Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH (BHTC) is a manufacturer of climate control and thermal management solutions for the automotive industry. The company’s main product groups are control panels and control units for vehicle air conditioning as well as center stacks/HMI. Climate sensors, blower controllers and PTC auxiliary heaters complement the portfolio.

Behr-Hella Thermocontrol has been active on the Bulgarian market since 2013 and opened a production plant for control panels for vehicle air conditioning on May 20, 2015. In addition to that, the company established a development center for innovations in Bulgaria, which is one of the five global BHTC innovation centers.

BHTC’s production plant is the first facility in the Industrial Zone Sofia-Bozhurishte and as of today employs 250 people. According to the company’s strategic development plan, this number is expected to reach 500 within the next five years. The development center, on the other hand, has 60 engineers who directly work on projects coming from the Lippstadt headquarters.

Behr-Hella Thermocontrol’s decision to begin operating in Bulgaria was a result of a two year study of various locations in Easter Europe, the company reveals. Some of the countries that were considered were Serbia, Macedonia, Romania, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. The final choice, however, was Bulgaria, mainly because of its friendly investment environment, good infrastructure and favorable business development conditions.