Automotive Supplier Webasto in Expansion Mode

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas) Webasto Roof Systems, Incorporated (d.b.a. "Webasto Sunroofs Inc") (Lexington, Kentucky), a division of Webasto Product Company, Incorporated (Rochester Hills, Michigan), is building its second plant in Lexington, Kentucky.

The general contractor for the project is Denham-Blythe Company, Incorporated (Lexington, Kentucky). Construction is expected to be complete by June of this year, and production is scheduled to begin in January, 2004.

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The $28 million, 200,000 square foot plant is located across from Webasto's original plant in Lexington's Blue Grass Business Park, and will initially house two assembly lines (about 25 percent capacity), with future plans of expanding to seven or eight lines. With the employment of 200 workers, the combined employee count for Webasto}s two Lexington plants will reach approximately 425.

In 2002, Webasto announced that it would consolidate its North American aftermarket roofing systems and thermosystems businesses into Webasto Product North America, Incorporated (WPNA). According to Chris Connolly, President and CEO of the newly created WPNA (former President and CEO of WebastoHollandia, the aftermarket roof system business of Webasto in North America), this consolidation is a part of Webasto's global reorganization, and positions WPNA for significant future growth. Connolly also mentioned that the company plans to build a new facility between existing plants in Brighton, Michigan, and Lapeer, Michigan.

Webasto AG based in Stockdorf, Germany is the worldwide headquarters of Webasto North America. With North American manufacturing facilities in Michigan, Kentucky, and California, the company is able to supply both the original equipment and aftermarket segments. The Lexington plants supply automotive roofing systems to the Big 3 automakers Ford, General Motors, and DaimlerChrysler, as well as to Mazda and Toyota.