History of Tower Automotive

A leading supplier of automotive components to U.S. and foreign carmakers, Tower Automotive, Inc. makes metal stampings, metal assemblies, and other products for the automotive industry. Tower recorded explosive growth during the 1990s, as it embarked on an acquisition campaign that transformed it from a small metal stamping company into a full-service giant capable of supplying automotive manufacturers with the components used to make their products. At production facilities in the United States, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, and Italy, the company produced car hood hinges, brake components, car and truck frames, axles, and a bevy of other products that carmakers purchased from outside vendors. The company's most important acquisition during the 1990s was its 1997 purchase of the automotive products unit belonging to A.O. Smith, which tripled the size of Tower. During the late 1990s, Tower derived the bulk of its sales from three domestic customers--Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors--but was making a concerted move into international markets.