Hayes Lemmerz to expand wheel production for commercial trucks, sells aftermarket brake operation.

Hayes Lemmerz International inc., Northville, Mich., announced its International and North American Wheel Groups intend to expand their product lines to include permanent mold cast aluminum wheels for commercial truck and trailer customers. Current plans ;ire to have several truck wheel designs and dimensions on the market next year. Products for the European markets will be produced at Hayes' facility in Dello, Italy, which is also the location for its European research and development center for aluminum wheels. In North America, truck wheels will be produced at the company's Gainesville, Ga., facility where a specific OE truck program also is scheduled to launch in 2006.

"Aluminum wheels are becoming widely accepted in European truck markets by offering weight savings versus steel wheels, improving fuel economy and increasing payload. Aluminum enables styling flexibility and functionality previously unavailable with steel wheels," said Fred Bentley, president of the International Wheel Group. "In addition, this will allow our North American Wheel Group to further expand their product offering."

In Europe, Hayes Lemmerz is the only wheel manufacturer that produces both steel wheels and aluminum wheels and serves both passenger vehicle and commercial truck segments.

The company also announced that it sold its aftermarket brake controller business to Hayes Brake Controller Co., which was created by Syncro Corp. Under the agreement, Hayes Brake Contoller will acquire all inventory, assets and intellectual property necessary to the operation of the aftermarket brake controller business.

"The deal is consistent with the strategic objectives of both companies," said Ed Kopkowski, president of the Hayes Lemmerz North American Wheels, Commercial Highway and Aftermarket business unit. "The sale will allow Hayes Lemmerz to focus on growing its core wheel business. Syncro has been a long-term partner in the design, development and manufacturing of all our brake controller products. As a core business of Syncro, they will allocate the resources necessary to improve this business."