Accuride
Accuride President and CEO Richard Dauch shown here at a Center for Automotive Research conference in Michigan in 2016

Auto Supplier Accuride to Acquire German Steel Wheel Manufacturer

June 19, 2017
Mefro Wheels has approximately 3,000 employees in Europe and Asia.

Indiana-based automotive components supplier Accuride announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire German steel wheel manufacturer Mefro Wheels, with the intent of expanding its manufacturing reach in Europe and Asia.

Headquartered in Soligen, Germany, Mefro is a privately owned supplier of commercial vehicle and automotive steel wheels in Europe and Asia. It has approximately 3,000 employees and eight manufacturing plants—three in Germany, two in Russia, and one each in France, Turkey and China.

Accuride, which was acquired by private equity firm Crestview Partners in 2016, has manufacturing facilities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Italy. It began a strategic global expansion in 2015 with the acquisition of Italian steel wheel supplier Gianetti Ruote in 2015.

In May 2017, Accuride acquired commercial vehicle wheel-end maker KIC, based in Vancouver, Washington.

Accuride President and CEO Rick Dauch said in a statement that the Mefro Wheels acquisition will increase the company’s geographic reach, “expand our truck and trailer wheel offering in Europe, Russia and Asia, and further diversify the end-markets we serve with passenger car and off-road construction and agriculture business.”

Accuride, a legacy company of Firestone, started making wheels for the auto industry in 1906. At one time, Accuride manufactured 80% of all the steel wheels in North American heavy trucks.

About the Author

Laura Putre | Senior Editor, IndustryWeek

As senior editor, Laura Putre works with IndustryWeek's editorial contributors and reports on leadership and the automotive industry as they relate to manufacturing. She joined IndustryWeek in 2015 as a staff writer covering workforce issues. 

Prior to IndustryWeek, Laura reported on the healthcare industry and covered local news. She was the editor of the Chicago Journal and a staff writer for Cleveland Scene. Her national bylines include The Guardian, Slate, Pacific-Standard and The Root. 

Laura was a National Press Foundation fellow in 2022.

Got a story idea? Reach out to Laura at [email protected]

 

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