Webasto SE Business Report FY ended Dec. 2015

Recent Years

Financial Overview

-In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the Company’s net sales increased by 19.2% over the previous year to EUR 2,942 million.

-The Company’s Sunroof & Components business unit comprised 73% of the Company’s sales in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. Its Thermo & Comfort and Convertibles business unit comprised 16% and 11%, respectively.

Contracts

-The Company announced that it is supplying its convertible soft-top for the Ford Mustang. Two electric motors open and stow the soft-top within ten seconds. In doing so, the e-drive fully utilizes its advantage over the previous model's hydraulic drive, and is six seconds faster. (From a press release on July 9, 2015)

-The Company announced that it supplies the roof for the new BMW 2 Series Convertible. A button in the center console controls the operation of the roof. The convertible top compartment opens and within 20 seconds, the hydraulically-powered tension bow roof glides behind the rear seats, folding down in the trunk of the car. The roof can be opened and closed at speeds of up to 50 km/h. (From a press release on May 20, 2015)

-The Company announced that the third generation of the Audi TT Roadster features the Company’s soft-top roof. A new drive system comprises of lightweight materials, including magnesium, aluminum, and plastic. At the touch of a button, a new drive system with two electric motors fully opens the tension bow roof of the Audi TT Roadster automatically. Within ten seconds, the roof disappears into a separate aluminum convertible top compartment. The opening procedure takes ten seconds, and can be done at driving speeds up to 50 km/h. (From a press release on May 11, 2015)

-The Company announced that it is manufacturing the fixed panorama roof for the third generation of the smart fortwo. The 1.2-square-meter, transparent roof panel is made of lightweight polycarbonate material. A polycarbonate roof can be up to 50% lighter than a glass equivalent. The plastic panel on the new smart fortwo weighs only 9.8 kilograms. The Company manufactures the polycarbonate roofs in its own lightweight competence center in Schierling, Germany. (From a press release on January 12, 2015)

Awards

-The Company has won the Ford World Excellence Award in the Gold category for the third time. Following two Silver and two Gold awards in previous years, this is now the fifth time Ford has presented an award to the Company's Schierling plant in Germany. The plant manufactures polycarbonate panels and roofs, light Webasto Glas ProTec safety glass, solar roofs and roof modules made of polyurethane composite material. (From a press release on July 27, 2015)

-The Company’s Webasto Thermo & Comfort North America, Inc. subsidiary received the Ford Outstanding Achievement in Design Award for its custom built 2015 Ford Edge Sport.

Outlook

-The Company expects to exceed EUR 3 billion in sales for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016.

R&D Expenditure

(in million EUR)
FY ended Dec. 31, 2015 FY ended Dec. 31, 2014 FY ended Dec. 31, 2013
Overall 205 187 189
Gross in % of sales 7.0 7.6 8.3

Product Development

Cool TOP RTC rooftop air conditioner
-The Company has developed a new Cool Top RTC rooftop air-conditioner for mini and midi buses. Until now, the most powerful rooftop system in the portfolio is the Santana L/XL, with a cooling capacity of 18 kW, designed for mini and midi buses with up to 35 seats. With the modular Cool Top RTC 250, 300 and 360 models, the Company has expanded its comprehensive range for buses. The new models have a cooling capacity of up to 36 kW and also provide a heating option of up to 35 kW. (From a press release on September 23, 2015)

Multi Optional Roof concept
-The Company has unveiled its Multi Optional Roof (MOR) concept, where a single car body interface allows for insertion of diverse roof variants. This concept allows for significant reduction in development and production expenditures. The range of products includes large, openable panorama roofs; roofs with Webasto Glas ProTec safety glazing, panorama roofs made from impact-resistant, lightweight polycarbonate; lightweight roof elements made of polyurethane composites; and folding tops and solar roofs with the option of on-board power generation. The MOR also has advantages for automobile production as all roof variants can be installed on the same production line. Automotive manufacturers including Fiat and Jaguar Land Rover have recognized the benefits of the MOR and are already installing versions of the MOR in series production. Additional series runs are planned. (From a press release on September 15, 2015)

High-voltage heaters for hybrid and electric vehicles
-The Company has unveiled the High-Voltage Heater (HVH) for hybrid and electric vehicles. Series production of the heaters for Volvo began in the middle of 2015. By the end of 2017, the HVH will be used in 13 additional hybrid and electric vehicles from automotive manufacturers around the world. Thanks to innovative heating layer technology, the heater converts electrical energy to heat with a sustained effectiveness rate of over 95%. (From a press release on September 15, 2015)

-The Company will increase its activities to propose its auxiliary electric heaters for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs). The Company's new high voltage heater (HVH) is significantly smaller and lighter than conventional positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heaters, and can be installed in the empty space of the engine compartment. The HVH features the Company's original electronic control unit, which controls power and current and links the system with the vehicle's other electric systems. Starting in the middle of 2015, the Company’s German facilities will mass produce the HVHs initially for Volvo's XC90 PHV. The Company also won new contracts from automakers in Japan, the U.S., Europe, and China in 2014, and plans to begin deliveries to these customers in two to three years. For a U.S. automaker, the Company plans to supply high performance HVH that offers 7 kW as compared with the standard 5 kW HVH. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on February 14, 2015)

Lighting integrated into a roof element
-The Company has developed technology which allows lighting to be integrated into a roof element. The lighting can illuminate the vehicle in a variety of colors or patterns. An example of this can be seen in the BMW 7-series, where the ambient lighting creates a pattern similar to a starry sky.

Ready-to-install convertible roof module
-The Company’s Convertibles division is developing a module concept, in which a convertible roof is delivered to the customer as a complete, ready-to-install module. The roof includes the drive, rollover system, cross bar, and soft top compartment and has the deck lid painted in the color of the customer’s vehicle.

Capital Expenditure

(in million EUR)
FY ended Dec. 31, 2015 FY ended Dec. 31, 2014 FY ended Dec. 31, 2013
Overall 160 125 147
% of sales 5.4 5.1 6.4

Investments Outside Germany


-The Company announced that it has expanded its plant for sunroofs and panorama roofs in Arad, Romania. The third building at the site covers approximately 10,000 square meters. With the completion of the expansion, the site encompasses a total of 26,000 square meters. Total investments for the plant in Arad total approximately EUR 65 million. In 2014, over half a million sunroofs and panorama roofs were produced in Arad. For 2015, the Company has projected that approximately 750,000 roofs will be produced for customers such as BMW and the VW Group. (From a press release on June 11, 2015)


-In 2015, the Company’s Sunroofs & Components business unit expanded its plant in Hiroshima, Japan, which produces over one million sunroofs and panorama roofs per year.