Karosseriewerke Weinsberg

The Karosseriewerke Weinsberg, abbreviated KW, is a German Tooling Company based in Bretzfeld.

First products of the new company were horse-drawn carriages manufactured by 35 hired saddlers, carpenters, and wheelwrighters using traditional design methods.

Starting in 1925, car manufacturers urged to replace the outer wood planking on the wooden frame gradually, and change to sheet metal.

In addition to a small series of Kübelwagen, aluminium airplane parts for the Messerschmitt Me 410 and Me 262 aircraft were made.

In 1955, the production of sunroofs, automotive accessories, fenders, interior slots, and taxi cab dividers, was started.

The brand name Weinsberg was used for KW models based on Fiat, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen cars.

In 1970, Fiat decided to cease production in Germany and limit KW to a sales and service organization.

From 1961 to 1965, the press shop, tool and fixture construction were moved into two newly built workshops on a site next the Crailsheim–Heilbronn railway.

[3] In October 1987, the company had a sales total of DM 85 million and 550 employees (two smaller subsidiaries in Heilbronn included).

[4] In 1988, due to a bad economic situation of the customers in the automotive industry, KW filed short-time working for several employees.

Due to a bad economic situation, after steady staff reduction, in April 2002, insolvency was filed.

[8][9] The Bretzfeld located Wolpert Group Karosseriewerke Weinsberg acquired KW in December 2009.