Westfalia-Automotive achieves debt forgiveness and release from all First Brands Group related claims
1.6.2026 15:57:14 CEST | news aktuell GmbH | Press release
Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Germany – After successfully separating from First Brands Group in March 2026, Westfalia Automotive Group has completed a transaction resulting in debt forgiveness for group entities in the amount of approximately USD 246 million, as well as a release from all First Brands related claims.
"This transaction creates a debt-free operating group and significantly strengthens the underlying balance sheets of Westfalia — another significant milestone. With a focus on expanding production and customer care, the business is well positioned for continued growth. As the primary 'made in Europe' towing brand, we are committed to the customers and partners who have made us a market leader, and our entire team is energized to build on that foundation." — Michael Scott, Board Member, Westfalia-Automotive Group
“Westfalia-Automotive enters this next chapter from a position of strength. A competitive brand is built on strong partnerships with our customers, and we are fully committed to delivering on an exciting pipeline of new products. Our teams and operational sites in Germany, France, Romania and India are ready to build, deliver, and grow, ensuring we meet the diverse needs of our partners in the automotive industry.” — Tomasz Sgaslik, Managing Director, Westfalia-Automotive Group
About Westfalia-Automotive Group
Westfalia-Automotive is the European market leader and one of the world's leading manufacturers of towbars and bike racks for cars and light commercial vehicles.
The company serves automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), wholesalers, and dealer networks as the category leader in the automotive and leisure segments. Westfalia-Automotive provides its customers with outstanding products and services that reflect the company’s commitment to market leadership, innovation, and operational excellence.
The Company’s mission is to utilize forward-thinking technology to develop and deliver premium products for customers, engage with employees, and create value for shareholders.
Westfalia-Automotive is home to some of Europe’s most recognized brands in the towing industry, including: Westfalia-Automotive, Siarr, Witter-Towbars and others.
About news aktuell GmbH
news aktuell, a subsidiary of the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa), provides companies, institutions and associations with effective access to both the media and consumers and supports the organizations in telling their stories easily and successfully. Utilizing the digital tools “ots” and “zimpel” PR content reaches all media formats, including classic print titles, wide-reach online portals or social networks. In addition, news aktuell publishes all of its clients' PR content on www.presseportal.de, one of Germany's widest-reaching PR portals. Thus, all relevant multipliers are reached worldwide, ranging from editors and digital influencers to specialist bloggers and interested consumers. Communications specialists from all over Germany rely on the expertise of the dpa subsidiary. news aktuell has been on the market since 1989 and employs over 135 people. The company is based in Hamburg. Further locations include Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.
Subscribe to releases from news aktuell GmbH
Subscribe to all the latest releases from news aktuell GmbH by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from news aktuell GmbH
93% of Europe's Internet Traffic Flows Through Routers – Yet No One Is Paying Attention: Study Demands Action on Digital Sovereignty24.6.2026 10:00:00 CEST | Press release
Berlin, 24 June 2026 – The Sovereignty Alliance for European Network Technology (SAFENet), together with the Innovate Europe Foundation (IE.F) and Berlin-based consultancy iconomy, publishes a new foundational study revealing that 93% of European internet traffic flows through routers and yet the EU has no sovereignty framework for this key component of the digital ecosystem. Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers already control 37% of the market.
Mein Schiff Flow officially named: three godmothers, one ship and a shared flow22.6.2026 13:33:00 CEST | Press release
Hamburg/Trieste, 21 Jun 2026. The big moment had arrived: to the applause of thousands of guests on board, the champagne bottle was smashed against the bow of Mein Schiff Flow. Accompanied by a spectacular show and an elaborately staged ceremony, the second ship in the InTUItion class was officially welcomed into the Mein Schiff fleet. The naming ceremony marked a first in several respects: for the first time in the history of TUI Cruises, three women – Julia, Annabelle and Karin – jointly acted as godmothers to the new ship. Together, they represent the diversity of the guests and the many personal stories that connect people with the Mein Schiff fleet. For their grand entrance, the three godmothers wore couture dresses selected by designer Guido Maria Kretschmer. A naming ceremony day to celebrate the motto “Go with the Flow” From the afternoon onwards, Mein Schiff Flow was entirely in keeping with the motto of its naming ceremony, “Go with the Flow”. The ship was transformed into an
A decade after the Brexit referendum: Time for European pragmatism22.6.2026 09:03:53 CEST | Press release
On June 23, 2016, British voters chose to leave the European Union, sending shockwaves across the continent. To mark the anniversary, the Bertelsmann Stiftung is publishing exclusive data tracking public opinion in the UK and the EU over the past ten years. The findings suggest that Brexit has neither triggered further EU fragmentation nor driven British and European public opinion permanently apart. Instead, they point to a shared preference for pragmatic cooperation.
FarmDroid Field Robot Featured in award-winning “Clarkson’s Farm”: Autonomous Seeding and Weeding Robot in the Spotlight on Prime Video Series12.6.2026 09:02:28 CEST | Press release
(Odense, Denmark, June 11, 2026) The hit Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm features the autonomous field robot FarmDroid FD20 in its latest episode, airing today. Operating on Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm, the solar-powered robot demonstrates how automation, precision seeding, and mechanical weeding can help farmers improve efficiency while supporting more sustainable crop production. Clarkson first discovered FarmDroid at LAMMA 2025 while looking for ways to reduce manual labour on the farm. He was impressed by the robot’s ability to carry out both seeding and weed control with exceptional precision. The FarmDroid FD20 autonomously performs seeding and mechanical weeding with GPS accuracy of up to eight millimetres. By recording the exact position of every seed, it can remove weeds between and within crop rows, reducing chemical use, protecting soil health, and lowering labour requirements. “Having our robot featured in an internationally successful series like Clarkson’s Farm
HEIDELBERG forges ahead with transformation – foundations laid for medium-term growth10.6.2026 08:57:51 CEST | Press release
Dual-use technology approach on target – establishing new areas of business based on core expertise boosts strategic diversification Strong partnerships – new Memorandum of Understanding to be announced at ILA between ONBERG and Ukrainian company Core business stable – global positioning ensures robust development and underlines market leadership Focus on efficiency – cost base streamlined and competitiveness strengthened Financial year 2025/2026 – EBITDA margin down on previous year, while sales and net result after taxes improve Outlook for financial year 2026/2027 – challenging geopolitical environment, systematic expansion of HEIDELBERG Technology growth segment
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom