Huf North America Automotive Parts Manufacturing Corp., a member of the Huf Group, began operation of its new painting facility in Greeneville, TN. The exiting factory was expanded with a 57,000 sq-ft addition to house the company's automated paint application facility, as well as plastic injection molding.

The new plant has the capacity to produce around 12.5 million door handles per year, according to a release from Huf North America. "With its five existing painting locations in Europe and China, Huf has become one of the most significant providers of painted door handles," said the release. "In China, every fourth vehicle produced there comes with Huf door handles."

The new paint plant - which also offers plastic injection molding, a pressure foundry, electronics production, and assembly - means that the Huf vertical range of production on the American continent now equals that in Europe and Asia. "For around 75 years, we've produced door handles for the automotive industry, and in the mid-1980s, we were among the first to provide painted plastic door handles - at that point for Opel," said Huf CEO Ulrich Hulsbeck. "Since then we've constantly expanded our knowledge of this technology, and today in Tennessee we've brought one of the most modern plants into operation."

With the new plant in operation, the Huf Group has the capacity to produce 72.5 million door handles worldwide per year for its customers in the automotive industry. "We produce door handles for vehicles from all prominent manufacturers, including brands such as Rolls Royce, Mercedes and BMW, but also for many vehicles from Ford, VW, Chrysler/Fiat, GM as well as Hyundai and Kia," Hulsbeck added.

Another painting facility is currently being constructed in Pune, India, in order to supply automotive manufacturers there. Beginning in 2015, Huf plans to paint around 3.5 million door handles there, said the company.