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| H&R Spezialfedern | |
|---|---|
| Name | H&R Spezialfedern |
| Type | GmbH & Co. KG |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Paul G. Hahne |
| Headquarters | Lennestadt, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Products | Suspension springs, coilovers, sway bars, spacers |
H&R Spezialfedern is a German manufacturer of vehicle suspension components known for producing performance-oriented springs, coilovers, sway bars, and wheel spacers for passenger cars, motorsport, and tuning markets. Founded in 1980, the company supplies aftermarket and original-equipment replacement parts and has been involved in international motorsport and OEM collaborations across Europe, Asia, and North America. Its product portfolio and engineering partnerships connect it to a range of automotive manufacturers, racing teams, and automotive clubs.
H&R was founded in 1980 in Lennestadt and quickly became associated with European aftermarket tuning scenes and automotive suppliers linked to Bundesrepublik Deutschland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Ruhrgebiet, Sauerland, Dortmund, Köln, and Stuttgart. Early growth involved participation in events organized by Essen Motor Show, Frankfurt Motor Show, Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung, and collaborations with automotive magazines such as Auto Bild, sport auto, Road & Track, Car and Driver, and What Car?. Through the 1990s and 2000s H&R expanded internationally, engaging with distributors and partners in markets including United States, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and India. The firm established OEM and aftermarket relationships with marques such as Volkswagen Group, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Subaru, Mitsubishi Motors, Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors, Renault, Peugeot, Citroën, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, Skoda Auto, SEAT, Mini (marque), Aston Martin, Bentley, Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren Automotive, Lotus Cars, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
H&R produces lowered and progressive-rate springs, mono-tube and multi-tube coilover systems, adjustable dampers, anti-roll bars, and hub-centric wheel spacers used by tuners, dealerships, and racing teams; these products are frequently reviewed by publications such as Top Gear, Autocar, Motor Trend, EVO (magazine), and Autoweek. Engineering work often references standards and testing facilities like TÜV Rheinland, DEKRA, DIN, ISO 9001, and collaborations with research institutes including Fraunhofer Society, RWTH Aachen University, Technische Universität München, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, University of Stuttgart, and TU Darmstadt. Materials science and metallurgical inputs cite suppliers and partners associated with companies such as thyssenkrupp, ArcelorMittal, Salzgitter AG, GKN plc, and alloy specialists tied to VSMPO-AVISMA. H&R’s coilover designs reflect influences from chassis engineering groups at Porsche Motorsport, BMW M GmbH, Mercedes-AMG, and suspension philosophies evaluated against competitors such as Bilstein, KW Automotive, Eibach, AP Racing, Sachs (ZF Friedrichshafen).
H&R has supplied components to teams and series spanning Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, 24 Hours of Nürburgring, 24 Hours of Le Mans, FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA SportsCar Championship, Blancpain GT Series, VLN Endurance Championship, DTM, WTCC, BTCC, Super GT, Formula 3, Formula Renault, Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, ADAC GT Masters, and regional club events run by ADAC. Partnerships and technical support have linked H&R to teams like Manthey-Racing, Rowe Racing, BMW Team MTEK, Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Aston Martin Racing, Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and drivers associated with Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Valentino Rossi (motorsport crossover), and endurance specialists such as Mark Webber and Tom Kristensen. Presence at circuits includes Nürburgring Nordschleife, Circuit de la Sarthe, Silverstone Circuit, Monza Circuit, Spa-Francorchamps, Suzuka Circuit, Circuit of The Americas, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway, Brands Hatch, and Hockenheimring.
Manufacturing operations are based in Lennestadt with logistics and distribution centers supporting markets in Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and South America. Facilities integrate CNC machining, heat treatment, shot peening, and coating lines with quality control labs using equipment from suppliers such as ZEISS, Fanuc, Siemens, Schunk, and testing rigs comparable to those used by TÜV SÜD. Warehousing and supply chain management interact with freight and logistics firms such as DB Schenker, DHL, Kuehne + Nagel, and FedEx. Workforce development involves vocational partnerships with institutions like IHK, Berufsakademie, Fachhochschule Südwestfalen, and apprenticeships aligned to German dual education models.
Established as a GmbH & Co. KG, corporate governance observes German company law and reporting frameworks linked to Handelsregister, Bundesanzeiger, and compliance contexts involving EU regulations and European Commission directives relevant to automotive parts. The company structure supports R&D, sales, OEM projects, and aftermarket distribution with executive and management ties to regional industry associations such as VDA (German Association of the Automotive Industry), ZDK, and trade bodies attending Automechanika. Financial interactions connect H&R with banking institutions typical in the region including Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, Sparkasse, and investment advisors.
Products undergo certification and testing by agencies and standards bodies including TÜV Rheinland, TÜV SÜD, DEKRA, ISO, and automotive homologation processes spanning ECE regulations and national type approval schemes like those administered by KBA (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt). Safety validation often references testing protocols used by OEMs such as Volkswagen AG, BMW Group, Daimler AG, and crash and durability test centers used by IIHS and Euro NCAP for vehicle safety benchmarking.
H&R has been featured in industry awards and editorial round-ups by Auto Bild Tuning, sport auto, Essen Motor Show exhibitor accolades, and recognition in aftermarket product tests conducted by What Car?, Top Gear, Autocar, and Motor Trend. Corporate honors include regional business awards administered by IHK Arnsberg, innovation prizes linked to Mittelstandspreis, and supplier recognitions from OEM programs similar to Volkswagen Group Supplier Award and BMW Supplier Innovation Award.
Category:Automotive companies of Germany Category:German brands