Hayes Lemmerz Shifts Management, Names COO

Automotive wheel and components producer Hayes Lemmerz International Inc. named Fred Bentley as its new chief operating officer, a new position in the organization, as well as president of the company's Global Wheel Group. He will be responsible for all of Hayes Lemmerz manufacturing operations and business units.

Also, the company reports it has reorganized its management structure. Bentley will report to Curtis J. Clawson, president, CEO, and chairman of Hayes Lemmerz. But, Daniel M. Sandberg, as president of the Automotive Components Group will report to Bentley.

However, in his position as v.p. Global Materials and Logistics, Sandberg will continue to report to Clawson.

"With the recent completion of our balance sheet restructuring and divestiture of our suspension and MGG businesses, it was appropriate to rethink how the company operates," Clawson states. "The moves announced today are designed to facilitate the company's growth plans over the next several years. Fred's understanding of Hayes Lemmerz' core wheel business, strategic growth plans, and the challenges faced by today's suppliers, will strengthen Hayes Lemmerz as we continue to grow our world presence. The resulting management structure will be streamlined, flexible, and efficient."

Hayes Lemmerz International produces automotive and commercial highway wheels, brakes, and powertrain components at 26 plants worldwide.

Clawson emphasized that no changes are foreseen in Hayes Lemmerz's Automotive Components Group.

"I am enthusiastic about this opportunity," Bentley stated. "This move makes strategic sense for our business, which we have substantially restructured over the past two years. This new organizational structure will enable us to better integrate the talented resources that we have in both our wheel and non-wheel businesses, and take both businesses to the next level."

Bentley joined Hayes Lemmerz in 2001. Prior to his recent role as COO and president of the Global Wheel Group, he was president of the International Wheel Group and president of the Commercial Highway and Aftermarket Group. The company credits him with strategic expansions in Brazil, Thailand, India, Turkey, Mexico and the Czech Republic, and indicates he has overseen restructuring of the wheel business from regional segments to a global group. Annual sales for Hayes Lemmerz's international wheel business have increased from $822 million in FY 2003 to $1.3 billion in FY 2006, with significant growth in global wheel sales over the past two years.

Bentley was managing director for Honeywell's Holts European and South Africa automotive aftermarket operations. He held leadership positions with AlliedSignal and Frito-Lay, and earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, and a M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix.