Milestones of the Company
1906
Wilhelm Reutter founded his coach company for automobiles on the Schlossstrasse in Stuttgart on October 1st, 1906.
1912
Introduction of the patented “Reutter’s Reform Coach”, a predecessor of the present cabriolet.
1921
Small-lot production for automobile customers such as Adler, Austro-Daimler, BMW, Bugatti, Buick, Dixi, Fiat, Horch, Mauser, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, Minerva, NSU, Opel, and Steiger.
1935
Reutter received the order to produce the VW Beetle prototype from the Porsche company. 3 years later, the first small-lot production began with 40 VW Beetles.
1944
An air attach on Stuttgart heavily damaged the primary plant. After the war, Reutter, with 94 employees, produced hand trucks and small ovens, as well as repairs of all types, such as the street cars of the Stuttgart Transportation Company.
1949
The company received a large order to produce 500 complete coaches for the new 356 sports car.
1963
Porsche overtook the complete coach factory of Reutter with 1,000 employees. From the name Reutter Carosserie (Coach) became RECARO. The new company with 250 employees produced vehicle seats for Porsche and reclining seats braces. 2 years later, the first RECARO sports seat was introduced at the Automobile Exhibition.
1969
The Reutter family sold RECARO to the companies Keiper, Hubbert & Wagner, and Metzeler.
1971
RECARO begins the production of the first airline passenger seats.
1982
RECARO built the first JIT plant in Bremen and supplied complete seat mountings for the new Mercedes 190. One year later, Keiper bought out all RECARO shares.
1990
On the 8th of September, the new RECARO Center in Kirchheim Tech was opened. Design, development, construction, marketing, and sales are all combined in these attractive buildings.
1997
As part of the reconstruction of Keiper RECARO GmbH & Co. RECARO became an independent company under the roof of the Keiper Recaro Group.
2000
RECARO focuses on premium vehicles in the OEM segment. Through many innovations, this company division has grown to 75% of total sales volume.
2004
RECARO strengthens its newest field of business, “child seating” by taking over the German traditional company “Storchenmuhle”.
2005
Recaro enters a new field with it's new office line by the co-operation with an excellent manufacturer of office chairs.
2006
RECARO celebrates its 100-year birthday with representatives from politics, associations and industry at its place of birth in Stuttgart.
2008
a contract has been signed by DHL Exel Supply chain and Recaro on a co-operation of modul production and logistics of car seats. This business model enables automobile manufacturers a JIT/JIS production on site for complete cars up to 80.000 units a year.
2010
RECARO offers furniture for the first time.
