What Brose makes

Brose develops and manufactures mechatronic systems in three main areas: door and liftgate technology, seat adjustment systems, and electric motors and drives. Every third new car, per the company's own statement, contains at least one Brose product.

The door and exterior systems division builds door modules, window regulators (cable and arm types), liftgate systems including foot-activated opening, and electronic access and closure technology. This is the business Max Brose's Coburg factory began building in 1926 with the first manual window regulator patent, and it remains Brose's largest segment by revenue.

The seat division operates partly through Brose Sitech, a joint venture with Volkswagen that Brose majority-controls. Brose Sitech supplies complete seat systems to European and global OEMs, and in September 2025 it completed the acquisition of Proseat Group, a Polish seating supplier, to strengthen its position in that market. Brose's own seat division produces adjustment mechanisms and structural components for front and rear seats separately from the joint venture's complete-seat business.

The drives division produces electric motors from 200 watts to 14 kilowatts for steering systems, thermal management, and light-vehicle applications. Since 2022, Brose has supplied motors with integrated power electronics and control units to Hero, one of the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in the world, for electric scooter drivetrains. In 2026, the company manufactured 3D-printed interior components for the Apollo Evo hypercar at its Coburg additive manufacturing facility.

Brose sold its e-bike drive business to Yamaha in early 2025, reflecting its stated strategic focus on the core automotive segments of doors, seats, and drives.

Financial performance

In fiscal year 2025, the Brose Group generated sales of €7.9 billion, up 2.6 percent from €7.7 billion in 2024, per the Berylls by AlixPartners automotive Top-100 study and confirmed on the company's own website. The company does not publish profit figures in a standard annual report format; the Berylls study notes no profitability data is available.

The 2024 fiscal year was difficult. A May 2025 press release confirmed an operating loss of €14 million and a net income loss of €142 million for FY2024, driven by declining customer volumes, restructuring charges, and the delayed transition to electric vehicles in Europe and North America. Free cash flow improved by €120 million to €137 million in 2024, partly from lower capital expenditure and a partial divestiture of a South Korean joint venture.

In December 2025, the company indicated it expected to return to profitability in FY2025, forecasting net income of €21 million. CEO Stefan Krug noted at that point that the forecast represented about ten percent of the profit required for the company to finance itself independently -- a frank acknowledgment that the recovery, while real, remains early. The company had by then reduced roughly one in four indirect and administrative jobs at high-wage locations compared to 2023, with about 1,000 positions eliminated at its German sites.

Brose employs approximately 33,000 people at 76 locations in 25 countries, per its current company page. An equity ratio of 48 percent as of end-2024 provides a solid balance-sheet foundation despite the recent losses.

Ownership and history

Max Brose opened a trading company for automotive accessories in Berlin in 1908. In June 1919, he and partner Ernst Jühling founded Metallwerk Max Brose & Co. in Coburg, Bavaria, to manufacture parts rather than only sell them. The 1926 patent for a crank-driven window regulator, and serial production of that device starting in 1928, set the direction for the next century.

The company has remained a private family business through succession across four generations. Michael Stoschek led the group for roughly half a century before handing chairmanship of the Administrative Board to his son Maximilian at the start of 2026. The company describes itself as the largest privately held German automotive supplier.

Stefan Krug serves as CEO; he joined Brose in 1998, held operational roles including General Manager of the Coburg plant, ran North American operations as COO from 2014 to 2019, spent time at ZF Friedrichshafen, and returned as CEO in July 2022. His contract was extended for three years from January 2026. Sabine Neuss joined as COO in January 2026 after senior roles at Behr, TRW Automotive, KION Group, Kelvion, and Jungheinrich.

Headquarters sit at Max-Brose-Straße 1, Coburg. The company has made no public equity listing and carries no listed-parent structure.

Certifications and quality

Brose publicly posts IATF 16949 certificates for individual plants on its website. Germany alone has eight certified sites: Berlin, Bremen, Coburg, Hallstadt, Meerane, Rastatt, Sindelfingen, and Würzburg. Certified European plants outside Germany include locations in the Czech Republic, England, Hungary, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden. In the Americas, Brose holds IATF 16949 certifications at plants in Brazil (Curitiba, Goiana, Sao Paulo), Canada (London), and Mexico (Puebla, Queretaro, and additional sites). Certificates are downloadable as PDFs from the company's quality management page, reflecting a multi-site certification posture consistent with IATF 16949 requirements for complex Tier-1 automotive suppliers.

Known customers

Brose does not publish a general customer list. The relationships below are documented through the company's own press releases, IR disclosures, or major-outlet coverage.

3 shown of 3 confirmed programs; the OEM base in doors, seats, and drives spans European and North American vehicle programs discussed only at the contract announcement level.

Sourcing evidence

US customs bill-of-lading records show 36,000+ inbound shipments to three Brose-entity US importers through September 2026: Brose Tuscaloosa (30,119 shipments), Brose do Brasil (3,513), and Brose Queretaro (2,534). These represent intra-company flows from Brose's global manufacturing network to its US plants, not third-party supplier relationships. The dominant origin mix is Germany, Czech Republic, Mexico, and Brazil. Most recent recorded shipment: September 15, 2026.

Coverage note: US Customs data reflects ocean-freight manifests only and captures intra-company transfer shipments between Brose entities. It does not represent the full scope of Brose's external supplier relationships or customer delivery flows.

Frequently asked questions

What does Brose make?

Brose manufactures mechatronic systems for vehicles: door modules and liftgate systems (including power and foot-operated tailgates), seat adjustment mechanisms and complete seat structures through the Brose Sitech joint venture, and electric motors from 200 watts to 14 kilowatts for steering, thermal management, and light-vehicle drivetrains. The company says one in three new cars contains at least one Brose product.

Who owns Brose?

Brose is privately held by the Stoschek and Volkmann families. It has been a family company since Max Brose founded the trading business in 1908. Maximilian Stoschek became Chairman of the Administrative Board in January 2026, succeeding his father Michael after roughly 50 years of leadership. The company has made no equity listing.

What is Brose's annual revenue?

Brose generated €7.9 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2025, up from €7.7 billion in FY2024, according to the Berylls by AlixPartners Top-100 study and the company's own website. The company does not publish audited profit figures in a public report; a December 2025 press release indicated an expected return to profitability after an operating loss in 2024.

Where is Brose headquartered?

Brose is headquartered in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany, at Max-Brose-Straße 1, 96450 Coburg. The company was founded in 1919 in Coburg by Max Brose and Ernst Jühling, though the original trading business opened in Berlin in 1908. Brose operates 76 locations in 25 countries worldwide.

Who are Brose's customers?

Brose does not publish a customer list, but documented relationships include General Motors (Supplier of the Year 2025, the 8th such award), Nissan (Global Quality Award 2026, first in a nearly 20-year partnership), Hero Motor Corp (electric two-wheeler motors since 2022), and Apollo Automobil (3D-printed hypercar components, 2026). The company supplies door systems, seat systems, and drives to major automotive OEMs in Europe, North America, and Asia, with North American operations led by Brose Americas, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Last verified September 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.