KWD manufactures individual body components and body assemblies from steel and aluminium for vehicle construction – from pressed and drawn parts through to the complete body-in-white.
KWD Automotive AG & Co. KG
Wolfsburg · Radeberg · Palmela · Pamplona · Dobrovice · DalianNew on Amplifa
About KWD Automotive
KWD Automotive Group is a mid-sized, internationally operating group of companies in the automotive supply industry that produces individual body components and body assemblies for vehicle construction. The product portfolio includes pressed and drawn parts, welded assemblies, exhaust systems, oil pans, plastic-steel composites as well as body structures, seat and backrest structures, interior doors, instrument panel carriers, axle parts, engine and transmission mounts and battery housings. Processes include pressing & stamping, body-in-white, roll forming, stretch bending, laser cutting and laser welding as well as joining methods such as clinching, flanging, riveting and bonding. Production is predominantly from steel, high-strength steel, stainless steel and aluminium; a key focus is on lightweight construction concepts for weight reduction in vehicle construction, also using magnesium and composite materials. The group develops components from design through to series maturity and supplies, among others, the Volkswagen Group and Daimler AG. The company originated from the coachbuilding workshop founded by Carl Heinrich Gläser in Dresden in 1864; today the group comprises six sites in Germany, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic and China, with headquarters in Wolfsburg.
- Site
- Wolfsburg
- Processes
- Pressing & Stamping (Pressed & Drawn Parts), Body-in-White (Welded Assemblies, Body Assemblies), Roll Forming, Stretch Bending, Laser Cutting (Prototypes and Small Series), Bending, Forming, Rolling
- Materials
- Steel, High-strength steel, Stainless steel, Aluminium, Magnesium, Composite materials, Plastic-steel composites, High-Strength Steel
- Certificates
- ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001 (Karosseriewerke Dresden GmbH, KWD Automobiltechnik GmbH), TISAX (all sites), IATF 16949, ISO 50001, TISAX
- Founded
- 1864
- Industries
- Automotive Industry, Automotive Industry (Automotive Supplier)
- 01
Development
- 02
Pressing & Stamping
- 03
Roll Forming / Stretch Bending
- 04
Laser Cutting
- 05
Laser Welding / Joining (Clinching, Flanging, Riveting, Bonding)
- 06
Body-in-White
- 07
Quality Assurance
- 08
Logistics
Materials & Processes
Steel
Predominantly used material for individual body components and body assemblies.
High-Strength Steel
Used for structural body components for weight reduction.
Stainless Steel
Used for body parts such as floor panels, chassis components and welded assemblies.
Aluminium
Central lightweight construction material for pressed, drawn and welded assemblies.
Magnesium
Material for production-proven lightweight components in structural applications.
Composite Materials / Plastic-Steel Composites
Used in multi-material lightweight construction and for joined hybrid connections.
Pressing & Stamping
Manufacture of pressed and drawn parts for body structures.
Body-in-White
Manufacture of welded assemblies and complete body assemblies.
Roll Forming
Profiling of sections from steel and aluminium.
Stretch Bending
Production of bent components for chassis and body structures.
Laser Cutting
Used flexibly for prototypes and small series.
Laser Welding
Joining of steel, stainless steel and aluminium components.
Sites
Wolfsburg
DEHeadquarters (KWD Automotive AG & Co. KG), KWD Automobiltechnik GmbH, KWD Automobiltechnik GmbH – Vogelsang, Production
- Materials
- Steel, high-strength steel, aluminium
- Body-in-White
Radeberg
DEProduction (Karosseriewerke Dresden GmbH, press shop and body-in-white)
- Materials
- Steel, high-strength steel, stainless steel, aluminium
- Presses
- Body-in-White
- Laser Cutting System
- Toolmaking
- Coil Storage
Palmela
PTProduction (KWD Portugal, Unipessoal Lda.)
Pamplona
ESProduction (Karosseriewerke Dresden España, S.L.U.)
Dobrovice
CZProduction (KWD Bohemia s.r.o.)
Dalian
CNProduction (Dalian KWD Innovation Automotive Parts LLC)
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressing & Stamping (Pressed & Drawn Parts)Forming | – | – | – | – | Steel, High-strength steel, Aluminium, Stainless steel |
| Body-in-White (Welded Assemblies, Body Assemblies)Joining | – | – | – | – | Steel, High-strength steel, Aluminium |
| Roll FormingForming | – | – | – | – | Steel, High-strength steel, Aluminium |
| Stretch BendingForming | – | – | – | – | Steel, High-strength steel, Aluminium |
| Laser Cutting (Prototypes and Small Series)Machining | – | – | – | – | Steel, High-strength steel, Stainless steel, Aluminium |
| BendingForming | – | – | – | – | Steel, High-strength steel, Aluminium |
| FormingForming | – | – | – | – | Steel, High-strength steel, Aluminium |
| RollingForming | – | – | – | – | Steel, High-strength steel, Aluminium |
| ClinchingJoining | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminium |
| FlangingForming | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminium |
| RivetingJoining | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminium |
| BondingJoining | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminium, Plastic-steel composites |
| Laser WeldingJoining | – | – | – | – | Steel, Stainless steel, Aluminium |
| Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | Steel, High-strength steel, Aluminium |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Press Shop (Presses) | – | – | – | – | Radeberg (Karosseriewerke Dresden GmbH) |
| Laser Cutting System (for prototypes and small series) | – | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
Quality assurance staff monitor compliance with tolerances and component-specific customer specifications. Testing equipment includes weld analyses in in-house laboratories, non-destructive ultrasonic testing and permanent series monitoring by 3D metrology.
| Evidence | Wolfsburg | Radeberg | Palmela | Pamplona | Dobrovice | Dalian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | ||||||
| IATF 16949 | ||||||
| ISO 14001 | ||||||
| ISO 50001 | ||||||
| TISAX |
History
- 1864
Carl Heinrich Gläser founds a workshop for coaches and sleighs in Dresden.
- 1902
Heuer takes over management; first automobile body for Mercedes.
- 1903
Decree "Royal Court Coachbuilder".
- 1925
Development and production of automobiles with detachable and foldable roofs.
- 1946
Expropriation and nationalisation.
- 1953
Renamed VEB Karosseriewerke Dresden.
- 1956
Start of the main production of the Wartburg (until 1991).
- 1967
The last cabriolet body leaves the Dresden plant.
- 1994
Privatisation by the Schnellecke Group.
- 1996
New press shop inaugurated in Radeberg; site relocated from Dresden-Klotzsche to Radeberg.
- 1998
International expansion: sister companies in Wolfsburg, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Dalian (China).