Webasto

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.{{Cite web |title=Motorists complain of sunroofs flying off |author= |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=17 August 1997 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/08/17/motorists-complain-of-sunroofs-flying-off/}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Revival of Ford Bronco SUV Hits Production Snag |last=Colias |first=Mike |work=WSJ |date=12 August 2021 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/revival-of-ford-bronco-suv-hits-production-snag-11628803452}}{{Cite web |title=Webasto seeks investor for EV charging division - electrive.com |author= |work=electrive.com |date=1 August 2022 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.electrive.com/2022/08/01/webasto-want-to-sell-parts-of-their-ev-charging-division/ |quote=Because the new plant in Detroit opened late, Webasto could not deliver a significant Ford order for the Bronco SUV on time, forcing Ford to postpone the market launch. Later, Ford had to replace thousands of hardtop roofs manufactured by Webasto due to quality problems. }}{{Cite web |title=Ford Bronco hardtops delayed because supplier Webasto behind schedule |author=Phoebe Wall Howard |work=Detroit Free Press |date=7 July 2021 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2021/07/07/ford-bronco-hardtops-roof-delayed-webasto/5364753001/ |quote="As a supplier, you have to be prepared to handle the volume proposed by your customer, the vehicle manufacturer. ... Customer interest to the number of people on wait lists," said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions based in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. "Not having the capacity to support Ford’s plans is a dramatic misstep by the supplier." }}

Webasto owns 11 locations in China, including in Wuhan.{{cite web | url=http://www.webasto-group.com/en/press/press-releases/press-release/federal-chancellor-angela-merkel-opens-new-webasto-location-in-wuhan-china/ | title=Angela Merkel Opens New Webasto Location in Wuhan }} In late January 2020, the company disclosed that five of its workers had tested positive to SARS-CoV-2.{{cite news |title=German car supplier Webasto halts China corporate travel over coronavirus: spokeswoman |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-germany-webasto/german-car-supplier-webasto-halts-china-corporate-travel-over-coronavirus-spokeswoman-idUSKBN1ZQ28J |accessdate=13 March 2020 |work=Reuters |date=27 January 2020 |language=en}}{{cite web| url = http://www.autonews.com/china/webasto-halts-travel-china-after-2-employees-germany-contract-coronavirus| title = Webasto halts travel to China after 2 employees in Germany contract coronavirus {{!}} Automotive News| date = 28 January 2020}}{{cite news |title=Germany confirms seventh coronavirus case |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-germany/germany-confirms-seventh-coronavirus-case-idUSKBN1ZU2Q9 |accessdate=13 March 2020 |work=Reuters |date=1 February 2020 |language=en}} 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.{{cite news |title=Coronavirus: Why employers need a balance on communication |url=https://hrexecutive.com/coronavirus-why-employers-need-to-strike-a-balance-on-communication/ |accessdate=13 March 2020 |work=Human Resource Executive |date=3 March 2020 |quote=Webasto ... directly handled coronavirus cases within the company’s Germany office in January.}} The story was initially reported in The Wall Street Journal as a case of successful containment of the outbreak.{{cite news |last1=Boston |first1=William |title=The Company That Fought the Coronavirus and Won |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-company-that-fought-the-coronavirus-and-won-11583491807 |accessdate=13 March 2020 |work=Wall Street Journal |date=6 March 2020}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Regalado |first1=Antonio |title=Gene sleuths are tracking the coronavirus outbreak as it happens |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/s/615317/gene-sleuths-are-tracking-the-coronavirus-outbreak-as-it-happens/ |accessdate=13 March 2020 |work=MIT Technology Review}} Genetic sequencing also linked the cluster of cases at Webasto's headquarters to the virus outbreak in northern Italy.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/03/08/coronavirus-live-updates/ |accessdate=13 March 2020 |title=Italian virologists trace coronavirus outbreak in Italy to German car parts manufacturer}} In May 2020 some medical disprove this assumptions and confirm that the Webasto case remained isolated,{{cite web | url=https://www.n-tv.de/politik/Italiens-Corona-Katastrophe-hat-Verantwortliche-article21799009.html | title=Italiens Corona-Katastrophe hat Verantwortliche }} while in July other studies identified the most common Italian strain as coming from Germany.{{cite web | url=http://www.corriere.it/salute/malattie_infettive/20_luglio_19/coronavirus-italia-ha-circolato-solo-ceppo-proveniente-germania-piu-contagioso-0c95dfb8-c294-11ea-8ea9-95041619a4a2.shtml | title=In Italia un solo ceppo proveniente dalla Germania e più contagioso | date=19 July 2020 }}

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.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-14 |title=Autonomes Fahren Level 4: Bosch und Webasto präsentieren Prototypen |url=https://www.elektrotechnik.vogel.de/autonomes-fahren-level-4-bosch-und-webasto-praesentieren-prototypen-a-bf628d216c137690fb7fce89676f6198/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=www.elektrotechnik.vogel.de |language=de}}

Webasto purchased AeroVironment's charging division in 2018.{{Cite web |title=Webasto buying AeroVironment EV unit for $35M - electrive.com |author=Nora Manthey |work=electrive.com |date=6 May 2018 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.electrive.com/2018/06/05/webasto-buying-aerovironment-ev-charging-arm-for-35m/}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Webasto sucht Investor für Ladesäulen-Geschäft |author= |work=handelsblatt.com |date=1 August 2022 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/industrie/autozulieferer-webasto-sucht-investor-fuer-ladesaeulen-geschaeft-/28559384.html}}{{Cite web |title=Webasto opens new charger factory in Mexico - electrive.com |author=Chris Randall |work=electrive.com |date=21 February 2023 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.electrive.com/2023/02/21/webasto-to-build-charger-factory-in-mexico/}}

General Motors had to recall over 9000 Webasto charging cords in 2023.{{Cite web |title=GM announces recall for Webasto charging cords in the USA - electrive.com |author=Chris Randall |work=electrive.com |date=8 September 2023 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.electrive.com/2023/09/08/gm-announces-recall-for-webasto-charging-cords-in-the-usa/}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Webasto withdraws from the charging infrastructure business - electrive.com |author= |work=electrive.com |date=10 Feb 2024 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.electrive.com/2024/02/10/webasto-withdraws-from-the-charging-infrastructure-business/}}{{Cite web |title=Autozulieferer: Webasto findet Käufer für defizitäres Ladegeschäft |author= |work=handelsblatt.com |date=9 February 2024 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/industrie/autozulieferer-webasto-findet-kaeufer-fuer-defizitaeres-ladegeschaeft/100013726.html}}

• BMW Z4 (G29) (2018–present)
• Mazda MX-5 RF (2016–present)

• BMW 3 Series Cabriolet (E93) (2007-2013)
• BMW 4 Series (F33) (2013–2020)
• Daihatsu Copen (2002-2012)
• Ferrari California (2008-2014)
• Ford Focus Coupé-Cabriolet (2006-2010)
• Mazda MX-5 Power Retractable Hard Top (2007-2015)
• Mini Cabriolet (2004-2008)
• Mitsubishi Colt CZC (2006-2012)
• Renault Wind (2010-2013)
• Volkswagen Eos (2006-2015)
• Volvo C70 (2006-2013)
• Porsche Cayenne GTS{{cite web | url=https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2009-porsche-cayenne-gts-23/ | title=2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS 6-Speed | date=27 January 2024 }}

• Germany: Schierling (battery assembly)
• USA: Detroit (Bronco hard tops), New Hudson (Bronco hard tops), Plymouth Township (Bronco soft tops){{Cite web |title=Ford wants defective Bronco hardtops to disappear forever after supplier issues |author=Phoebe Wall Howard |work=Detroit Free Press |date=8 December 2021 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url=https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2021/12/08/ford-bronco-hard-top-issues-supplier-fix/6414992001/}} Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Fenton (Thermo & Comfort){{Cite web |title=Ford to replace all 2021 Bronco hardtops after extreme water, humidity change appearance |author=Phoebe Wall Howard |work=Detroit Free Press |date=13 August 2021 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2021/08/13/ford-hard-tops-2021-broncos-webasto-michigan/8119709002/}}
• China: Jiaxing (battery, roof modules), 10 other locations
• South Korea: Dangjin (battery assembly, opened 2022){{Cite web |title=Germany's Webasto opens battery assembly in South Korea - electrive.com |author=Nora Manthey |work=electrive.com |date=25 June 2022 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.electrive.com/2022/06/25/germanys-webasto-opens-battery-assembly-in-south-korea/}}
• India
• Japan
• Mexico: Guanajuato (charging), Irapuato (roof modules){{Cite web |title=Webasto opens new charger factory in Mexico - electrive.com |author=Chris Randall |work=electrive.com |date=21 February 2023 |access-date=19 March 2025 |url= https://www.electrive.com/2023/02/21/webasto-to-build-charger-factory-in-mexico/}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web|url=https://www.webasto-group.com/en/original-equipment/roof-systems/|website=webasto.com|title=Convertible Roof Systems}}

Category:Convertible top suppliers

Category:Auto parts suppliers of Germany