Helping Ford Motor Co. debut the Bronco has been a major challenge for Webasto.
“It took a lot of energy, nerves and money,” CEO Holger Engelmann said last week during the German supplier’s annual press conference. He added, however, that the situation is under control.
The trouble included Ford being forced to delayed production of the SUV after coronavirus-related logistics issues hampered Webasto’s ability to equip its Michigan facility in time to make the vehicle’s removable roof, Automotive News reported in late 2020.
Another setback came last summer when Ford said it needs to replace all hardtop roofs made up until that point because of quality problems, my colleague Mike Martinez outlined.
Ford continues to struggle with getting enough Broncos delivered to customers, but that delay is because of the chip shortage. Despite this, Ford sold 13,113 Broncos in the U.S. in April — the most of any month since its June 2021 launch.
Webasto needed to make things with Ford right given the magnitude of the Bronco contract.
The deal will generate $2 billion in sales for Webasto over its eight-year lifespan (2018-26).
Webasto estimates the Bronco will account for 20 percent of its overall sales in its Americas region, which includes Canada and Mexico, starting this year and continuing for the next few years.
Webasto plans to build 1 million roof systems for the Bronco, which has six variants ranging from softtops to hardtops to dual tops.
By the end of this year Webasto will have invested about $214 million in the Bronco project.
