Webasto

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German automotive equipment company

title: "Webasto" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["convertible-top-suppliers", "auto-parts-suppliers-of-germany", "companies-based-in-upper-bavaria"] description: "German automotive equipment company" topic_path: "geography/germany" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webasto" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary German automotive equipment company ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

FieldValue
nameWebasto SE
logoWebasto Logo 2024.svg
hq_location_cityGauting-Stockdorf (Upper Bavaria)
hq_location_countryGermany
typePrivate
industryAutomotive
founded1901
key_peopleJörg Buchheim (CEO)
revenue4,6 Mrd. Euro (2023)
num_employees16,600 (2023)
websitewebasto.com
::

| name = Webasto SE | logo = Webasto Logo 2024.svg | hq_location_city = Gauting-Stockdorf (Upper Bavaria) | hq_location_country = Germany | type = Private | industry = Automotive | founded = 1901 | key_people = Jörg Buchheim (CEO) | revenue = 4,6 Mrd. Euro (2023) | num_employees = 16,600 (2023) | website = webasto.com

Webasto SE is a company headquartered in Stockdorf, Germany, which makes sunroofs, hardtop convertible modules, heating and air-conditioning systems.

History

The company was founded by Werner Baier in 1901 as a bicycle spoke manufacturer.

In 1997, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigated Webasto sunroof modules that shattered or blew off of 1991-1994 the Ford Explorer and Mazda Navajo.

In 2021, after causing delay in the launch and delivery of the new Ford Bronco with low hardtop production, Webasto delivered roof modules with cosmetic defects, turning to a discolored honeycomb pattern. Already-sold models had their tops replaced. Ford scrapped the replaced parts.

Coronavirus outbreak

Webasto owns 11 locations in China, including in Wuhan. In late January 2020, the company disclosed that five of its workers had tested positive to SARS-CoV-2. This was reportedly one of the first cases of person-to-person transmission of the virus outside China.

The outbreak was handled internally within the company. The story was initially reported in The Wall Street Journal as a case of successful containment of the outbreak. By March 2020, genome studies tracking mutations of the virus suggested that the Webasto outbreak had not been successfully contained, and was linked to a 'decent part' of the overall coronavirus outbreak in Europe. Genetic sequencing also linked the cluster of cases at Webasto's headquarters to the virus outbreak in northern Italy. In May 2020 some medical disprove this assumptions and confirm that the Webasto case remained isolated, while in July other studies identified the most common Italian strain as coming from Germany.

Autonomous driving

In 2022, Webasto joined forces with Bosch to develop a self-driving car that will enable autonomous driving at Level 4. The company has integrated 25 sensors from Bosch into the roof of a prototype vehicle for this purpose.

Charging division

Webasto purchased AeroVironment's charging division in 2018.

Webasto has offices in Monrovia, California and Planegg, Germany, for the EV charging division, as well as manufacturing facilities in Guanajuato, Mexico, Schaidt, Germany, and Wuhan, China.

General Motors had to recall over 9000 Webasto charging cords in 2023.

After looking for a buyer for two years, Webasto sold a majority stake of the charging business to Transom Capital Group (a wholly owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Domestic Holdings) in 2024. The company had taken heavy financial losses from the division.

Current production of roof modules

Past production of roof modules

Facilities

References

References

  1. "Das Unternehmen – Geschichte". Webasto Group.
  2. "Das Unternehmen – Zahlen & Fakten". Webasto Group.
  3. (6 March 2020). "The Company That Fought the Coronavirus and Won". Wall Street Journal.
  4. (17 August 1997). "Motorists complain of sunroofs flying off". Tampa Bay Times.
  5. Colias, Mike. (12 August 2021). "Revival of Ford Bronco SUV Hits Production Snag". WSJ.
  6. (1 August 2022). "Webasto seeks investor for EV charging division - electrive.com". electrive.com.
  7. Phoebe Wall Howard. (7 July 2021). "Ford Bronco hardtops delayed because supplier Webasto behind schedule". Detroit Free Press.
  8. "Angela Merkel Opens New Webasto Location in Wuhan".
  9. (27 January 2020). "German car supplier Webasto halts China corporate travel over coronavirus: spokeswoman". Reuters.
  10. (28 January 2020). "Webasto halts travel to China after 2 employees in Germany contract coronavirus {{!}} Automotive News".
  11. (1 February 2020). "Germany confirms seventh coronavirus case". Reuters.
  12. (3 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Why employers need a balance on communication". Human Resource Executive.
  13. "Gene sleuths are tracking the coronavirus outbreak as it happens". MIT Technology Review.
  14. "Italian virologists trace coronavirus outbreak in Italy to German car parts manufacturer".
  15. "Italiens Corona-Katastrophe hat Verantwortliche".
  16. (19 July 2020). "In Italia un solo ceppo proveniente dalla Germania e più contagioso".
  17. (2022-07-14). "Autonomes Fahren Level 4: Bosch und Webasto präsentieren Prototypen".
  18. Nora Manthey. (6 May 2018). "Webasto buying AeroVironment EV unit for $35M - electrive.com". electrive.com.
  19. (1 August 2022). "Webasto sucht Investor für Ladesäulen-Geschäft". handelsblatt.com.
  20. Chris Randall. (21 February 2023). "Webasto opens new charger factory in Mexico - electrive.com". electrive.com.
  21. Chris Randall. (8 September 2023). "GM announces recall for Webasto charging cords in the USA - electrive.com". electrive.com.
  22. (10 Feb 2024). "Webasto withdraws from the charging infrastructure business - electrive.com". electrive.com.
  23. (9 February 2024). "Autozulieferer: Webasto findet Käufer für defizitäres Ladegeschäft". handelsblatt.com.
  24. (27 January 2024). "2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS 6-Speed".
  25. Phoebe Wall Howard. (8 December 2021). "Ford wants defective Bronco hardtops to disappear forever after supplier issues". Detroit Free Press.
  26. Phoebe Wall Howard. (13 August 2021). "Ford to replace all 2021 Bronco hardtops after extreme water, humidity change appearance". Detroit Free Press.
  27. Nora Manthey. (25 June 2022). "Germany's Webasto opens battery assembly in South Korea - electrive.com". electrive.com.
  28. Chris Randall. (21 February 2023). "Webasto opens new charger factory in Mexico - electrive.com". electrive.com.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

convertible-top-suppliersauto-parts-suppliers-of-germanycompanies-based-in-upper-bavaria