BOS AUTOMOTIVE

INNOVATING THE CONSUMERDRIVING EXPERIENCE

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June 2016 | thebossmagazine.com | 3

INNOVATING THE CONSUMER DRIVING EXPERIENCEAs BOS Automotive celebrates its 20th anniversary in the U.S., see what the company is currently working on in its product line, and how it has been a successful global competitor in automotive manufacturing worldwide for over a hundred years.

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The manufacture of

automobiles is light-years

ahead of when Henry Ford

established the first assembly

line. Today, many auto

manufacturers are automating

a lot of the process, and their

products are coming off the

line at break-neck speed. But

something that most do not

consider is just how many

different companies contribute

to that manufacturing process.

Beyond the internal workings

of a car, outside companies

often contribute the products

that make the driver’s life

easier like cup holders, expert

cargo storage solutions,

sunroofs, and many others.

BOS Automotive is one such

company that is changing the

way people experience their

cars.

BOS Automotive has been

helping enhance people’s

drive for over a century. The

company was founded in 1910

in Germany and established

a foothold in the U.S. in

1995. One of its incredible

contributions to automotive

history still sits in the Mercedes

Benz Museum in Stuttgart,

Germany: the first patented

sunshade for automobiles,

given in 1931.

Today, the privately held

company has 19 locations and

6,200 employees stretching

across the globe. About 800 of

those employees call the North

American locations their home.

Much of BOS Automotive’s

U.S. business is based in its

research and development

(R&D) facilities, an integral part

of this century-old company

that is still looking to maybe

not reinvent the wheel, but

make it better.

BOS Automotive’s products

range from luggage cover

systems, cargo management,

and armrests to innovative

newer tech like panoramic

roof systems and innovative

door handles.

“We’re focused on our

customers and driven by

innovations,” shared Russell

Ketteringham, Senior Vice

President. “We started in a

niche market with the sunshade

system all those years ago,

and have moved from manual

systems to electric systems,

and are now creating unique

products for the market.

“BOS Automotive is constantly

working with its customers

to produce more intuitive

products for the consumer.

Over the past few years we’ve

really expanded our product

base into new areas and are

even creating new markets for

ourselves.”

“WE STARTED IN A NICHE MARKET WITH THE SUNSHADE

SYSTEM ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, AND HAVE MOVED FROM MANUAL SYSTEMS TO ELECTRIC SYSTEMS,

AND ARE NOW CREATING UNIQUE PRODUCTS FOR THE MARKET.

- RUSSELL KETTERINGHAM, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

June 2016 | thebossmagazine.com | 5

This company has done a

tremendous job of sticking

to the roots of traditional

auto manufacturers, but is

truly committed to making

its current products better,

and innovating new products

to continue to improve the

consumer’s experience.

BMW has ordered sun roofs

from BOS Automotive, and will

be launching the product line

in North America, China, and

Europe. Electric door handles—

ones that sit flush with the car

and only present themselves

when the key is nearby—is a

big hit with companies who are

going for the sleekest possible

body design.

The company is also in the

development stage for a

product for the truck market,

working with several major

auto manufacturers, to bring

this new concept to market.

“Incorporating our existing

product range in future

designs is a key strategy

of BOS Automotive,” said

Ketteringham. “We’re

dedicated to advanced

development, new ideas, and

where the next big tech is

going to come from.”

To stay at the leading edge

of product development, the

company employs a dedicated

project team that is customer

and implementation focused.

From its test lab in Detroit, this

team puts these new products

through their paces so that

when released to the public,

BOS Automotive can be sure

they will perform up to their

high standards.

3D printing is also incredibly

important to the company’s

R&D efforts. BOS Automotive

has used 3D printing machines

over the past four years to

take its research from idea to

concept model.

“Anyone who isn’t using 3D

printing is falling behind,”

Ketteringham said. “The

automotive industry is a fast-

Armrests

Panoramic roof systems Cargo Management

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paced environment, and one of the ways

to remain successful is staying ahead of

the curve.

“Currently 3D printing isn’t a cost-

effective solution for our mass

production, but it’s only a matter of

time until we’re using the technology

to support our customers and widely

throughout our organization.”

BOS Automotive’s innovative strategies

for the auto manufacturers’ floor mirror

a just-as-successful company culture

that is apparent through all levels of the

company. By investing time, attention,

and money into the employee base, the

company has established a model of

employment and retention that makes it

stand out in the industry.

“From the top down, everyone’s invested

in the employees. We try to do things

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, BOS Automotive has put together an event at its facility in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

In June 2016, the company will showcase all of its technology and products for

its customers, suppliers, and potential future business relationships.

“We plan on showcasing our best products as well as the technology we are

currently working on. We want to highlight our capabilities, and show our customers

solutions they may not have previously considered. For our suppliers,

this event will be a great knowledgesharing opportunity.”

Phillips Tube Group

Formed from Shelby Welded Tube,

Middletown Tube Works, and Phillips

Tube Group of Alabama; Phillips

Tube Group has been manufacturing

welded steel tube since 1969. As

the top supplier of welded steel

tube, Phillips Tube Group built its

reputation by exceeding industry

standards in quality and delivery.

From our signature heat and

corrosive-resistant aluminized steel

tube, to 400 Series Stainless, to

HSLA light-walled tubes for seating

components, Phillips Tube Group

meets the rigorous demands of every

application. Call us for all of your

steel tube needs – (800) 841-4207.

Sun protection systems

June 2016 | thebossmagazine.com | 7

a little differently from other

companies to attract talent

like flex scheduling, tuition

reimbursement, and team

building inside and outside

of work.

“Due to our global footprint

there are also tremendous

opportunities for people

who want to move around

internationally and work in

different regions, which brings

a little more variety to the job

and career path. We’re very

particular about the people we

want to hire. Fitting into our

office environment and culture

is very important.”

BOS Automotive doesn’t

just hire a seat filler either—

the company is committed

to employing people for

the long term. The average

tenure of BOS employees in

the U.S. is over 10 years—and

the company has only been

established in the country

for 20.

But back to that sunshade: did

you know BOS Automotive

still produces it? Today it’s a

slick, electric, fully integrated

sunshade, and is a fascinating

symbol of the foundation of

the whole company.

From a corporate point of view,

BOS Automotive isn’t your

typical company. The company

brings in over $1 billion

globally in revenue, and yet is

a family owned and operated

business. Ketteringham

shared that the business

prides itself on its flexibility

and its unique solutions to

customer problems. But

that isn’t the only thing that

sets this company apart in a

competitive industry.

“The biggest difference

between us and our

competitors is the people

we have. We’ve provided

a vision of the company,

and have taken the time to

choose employees that fit our

company culture, and they

have more than exceeded our

expectations. They are in front

of our customers every day,

and they upload the BOS name

very well.”

BOS AUTOMOTIVE

2956 Waterview Dr.Rochester Hills, MI 48309

Ph: 248.267.4715

www.bos.de/en.html

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