When it comes to innovative, user-friendly towbars and carrying systems, ACPS Automotive is the market leader providing for both automobile manufacturers and private customers who wish to upgrade their cars. For about 70 years, the company has created added value for customers, partners and employees and continuously develops new and improved products that comfortably connect cars and trailers or carriers.

“Our products are a must-have for caravans, horse and boat trailers and for carrying bicycles. We are the experts in developing towbars and carrying systems that make life better for today’s outdoor and active lifestyle,” says Thomas Kunze, Plant Director of the company’s St. Edigen production site in Germany.

ACPS Automotive has been producing towbars for the free market since the 1950s and has also been supplying car manufacturers with products to install right at the vehicle production line since the 1970s, when the company’s founder Otto Riehle saw this expansion of his business as a huge opportunity. Nowadays, ACPS Automotive still supplies both the automotive industry as well as independent distributors and workshops with their innovative ORIS-towbars and bicycle carriers.

What began in the German city of Stuttgart has long gone international, “We’re making sure that we service the different markets we supply to out of regional production,” explains Caspar Baumhauer, CEO and Managing Director.

With 1800 employees around the globe, the company still stands for the label “Made in Germany”, assuring highest quality standards across the entire product portfolio, no matter where the production took place.

To this day, ACPS Automotive strives to find new, innovative products and enhancements for their products. “We currently hold more than 140 active patents, protecting our know-how and our innovation creation process. That typically keeps us one step ahead of our competition,“R&D Director Dirk Recker says.

With research and development hubs in Hungary, Mexico, the USA and Germany, new products are realised non-stop. In 2000 the company was the first to introduce swivelling systems. Another great milestone was the development of the FIX4BIKE® System which revolutionised bike carrying with easy handling and enormous stability and security to ensure a pleasant, carefree journey.

To ensure that the innovative spirit stays high, ACPS Automotive relies on a motivated, strong team. Dr. Dietmar Bufka, COO and Managing Director of ACPS Automotive explains the value of their strong workforce “Our employees are in the centre of this. Their ideas, suggestions and improvements are constantly reported, evaluated and jointly implemented.”

Besides a responsibility towards their employees, ACPS Automotive also takes accountability when it comes to sustainable procedures. In 2021, the company implemented a strategy to reduce C02 emissions and to focus more on using recycled materials as part of their products.

Another subject ACPS Automotive keeps in mind when developing new products is that “The entire automotive industry is moving away from combustion engines and towards electrical vehicles. We are seeing that autonomous driving is more and more becoming the standard. We are also witnessing that mobility services are changing. All of that has an impact on our business model and we need to provide answers to all of these changes,” summarises Caspar Baumhauer.

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