Robert Rose

What Robert Rose does

Robert Rose GmbH, operating under the trade name Rose Manufaktur, is a traditional German saddlery and automotive upholstery workshop (Sattlerei) headquartered in Dortmund, Germany. Founded in 1873 by Josef Rose as a wheelwright and carriage-building business, the company has remained 100% in family ownership across five generations and is currently led by Managing Director Jochen von Kemp. The firm specializes in handcrafted convertible tops (Cabrioverdecke), custom leather and Alcantara vehicle interiors, ergonomic motorcycle seats with individual embroidery, classic car interior restoration, and furniture re-upholstery, working with materials including PVC, Sonnenland fabric, genuine leather, artificial leather, and Alcantara. A distinguishing technical feature is the on-vehicle fitting process, in which convertible tops and interiors are adapted directly on the customer's vehicle in the Wambel workshop to ensure the highest precision fit, supplemented by individually made templates (Schablonen) for each project.

The business operates as a custom job shop with a direct sales model: customers contact the workshop by phone, email, contact form, or in-person visit, and receive quote-based pricing with a 24-hour response commitment. The company holds no retail or online store, distributes through a single domestic channel, and serves customers primarily in Dortmund, the Ruhrgebiet, and Nordrhein-Westfalen, with marketing driven by industry event participation, editorial coverage in publications such as BMW Z8 Clubmagazin and MOTORRAD NEWS, and an active Instagram presence. Robert Rose became the first bodybuilder (Aufbauhersteller) in Dortmund to receive DIN ISO 9001 certification in February 2011 and has produced multiple federal and state competition winners in the German saddlery craft (Leistungswettbewerb des Deutschen Handwerks), including a Bundessieger in 2016, reflecting a deliberate investment in apprenticeship and craft skills. The company has no external funding, no parent entity, and no subsidiaries, functioning as an independent, multi-generational craft enterprise.

Name

Robert Rose

Legal name

Robert Rose GmbH

Website

https://rose-manufaktur.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1873

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Robert Rose GmbH (Rose Manufaktur) is a fifth-generation, family-owned German saddlery workshop in Dortmund, founded in 1873, that handcrafts custom convertible tops, leather vehicle interiors, ergonomic motorcycle seats, classic car restorations, and furniture upholstery for individual owners and classic car enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Automotive Upholstery Services

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Seating and Interior Trim Manufacturing (336360)

SIC

Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies (3711), Motorcycles, Bicycles & Parts (3751), Household Furniture (2510)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive Roof Systems & Convertible Top Components Manufacturing (Panoramic Roof Modules/Soft Tops) (IMACAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Passenger Vehicle Interior Systems Manufacturing (ICE) (IMACAAAM)

Keywords

• Custom automotive upholstery
• Convertible top manufacturing
• Leather interior crafting
• Motorcycle seat making
• Classic car restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

Dortmund

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Custom Convertible Top Manufacturing: Bespoke convertible tops (Cabrioverdecke) manufactured and installed directly on vehicles. Includes PVC and Sonnenland fabric options in various colors and finishes.
2. Vehicle Interior Upholstery: Custom leather and Alcantara interior installations for cars and motorcycles, including seats, dashboards, door panels, and other interior components.
3. Classic Car Restoration: Full restoration of classic vehicle interiors and convertible tops, often involving frame-off restoration work in collaboration with bodywork partners.
4. Motorcycle Seat Manufacturing: Custom motorcycle seats with ergonomic customization, gel cushions, and personalized embroidery.
5. Furniture Upholstery: Professional restoration and re-upholstery of furniture pieces including sofas, chairs, and lounge furniture using leather, artificial leather, Alcantara, and fabric.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Robert Rose GmbH is a traditional saddlery and craft manufacturing workshop that produces handcrafted vehicle interior fittings, convertible tops, custom leather and Alcantara interiors, bespoke motorcycle seats, and classic car interior restorations, as well as furniture upholstery. All work is performed on a custom order basis at the company's workshop in Dortmund, with materials including leather, Alcantara, artificial leather, PVC, and Sonnenland convertible fabrics. Each project is tailored to individual customer specifications with on-vehicle fitting for highest precision.

Product overview

Robert Rose GmbH is a traditional saddlery and auto upholstery workshop (Sattlerei) established in 1873, operating as a craft manufacturing business. The company offers a unified portfolio of bespoke vehicle interior and exterior products centered on convertible tops (Cabrioverdecke), leather interiors (Lederausstattungen), vehicle interiors (Fahrzeuginnenausstattungen), motorcycle seats (Motorradsitzbänke), classic car restoration (Oldtimer-Restaurierung), and furniture upholstery (Polsterei). All products are hand-crafted on-premises in Dortmund, Germany, using materials including PVC, Sonnenland fabric, genuine leather, artificial leather, and Alcantara. The company serves individual customers with customized solutions rather than standardized product lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Convertible Tops (Cabrioverdecke)
• Custom Leather Interiors (Lederausstattungen)
• Custom Motorcycle Seats (Motorradsitzbänke)
• Classic Car Restoration (Oldtimer-Restaurierung)
• Furniture Upholstery (Polsterei)

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple competition wins including Bundessieger (Federal Winner) in Saddlery Handwerk

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• KarmannminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerKarmann is the specialist manufacturer of convertible tops. For the Bentley Continental GTC, Rose Manufaktur works with original equipment specifications from Karmann for roof replacement and repair.
• Oldtimer-Restaurationsbetriebe (Classic Car Restoration Businesses)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRose Manufaktur collaborates with classic car restoration shops for complete vehicle restoration projects. The BMW 1600-2 Baur Vollcabrio was restored in cooperation with their vehicle construction team (rose-fahrzeugbau.de).
• BaurminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaur (Stuttgart) was the original coachbuilder for BMW 1600-2 Cabriolet models. Rose Manufaktur restores these vehicles with reference to original Baur specifications.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Newton Commercial: UK manufacturer of reproduction and custom interior trim kits for classic British and European cars, including seats, carpets, and convertible hoods. Comparable to Rose Manufaktur's classic car interior restoration service line, though with a kit-based product approach.
• Saddlemen: US motorcycle seat specialist producing custom and performance seats with ergonomic profiling and branded options. Comparable to Rose Manufaktur's motorcycle seat segment in terms of custom ergonomics and personalization, though Saddlemen operates at a larger, more production-oriented scale.
• August Lammertz GmbH: Long-established German automotive saddlery and trim manufacturer based in Cologne. Closely comparable as a domestic craft workshop producing custom leather interiors, convertible tops, and classic car trim at premium price points.
• Aldridge Trimming: UK-based specialist in bespoke classic and vintage car interior trim, supplying carpets, upholstery, and convertible hoods to restorers. Directly comparable on the classic car and convertible top service lines that anchor Rose Manufaktur's revenue.
• Corbin: US manufacturer of custom and aftermarket motorcycle seats with ergonomic gel inserts and personalization options. Directly comparable for the motorcycle seat product line, where Rose Manufaktur offers similar customization and ergonomic tailoring.
• Vilner Studio: Bulgarian custom car interior studio focused on bespoke leather, Alcantara, and exotic material upgrades for premium and exotic vehicles. Directly comparable to Rose Manufaktur's high-end custom vehicle interior and convertible interior work.
• Carlex Design: Polish custom car interior specialist offering bespoke leather and Alcantara upholstery, stitching, and trim upgrades for SUVs, sports cars, and luxury vehicles. Comparable as a European craft-style custom interior competitor in the premium vehicle segment.

Others

• Bridge of Weir Leather Company: Historic UK automotive leather manufacturer supplying premium leather to OEMs including luxury and classic vehicle programs. Adjacent to Rose Manufaktur as an upstream material supplier for the craft upholstery sector rather than a direct competitor, with whom the workshop could partner for high-grade leather sourcing.

Broad incumbents

• Webasto SE: Large German automotive supplier and global leader in convertible roof systems (formerly Karmann convertible operations). Overlaps directly with Rose Manufaktur's Cabrioverdecke service line at OEM scale, though operating as a tier-1 manufacturer rather than a custom workshop.
• Katzkin Leather Interiors: Large US-based aftermarket automotive leather interior manufacturer offering made-to-order seat covers installed via a national dealer network. Overlaps with Rose Manufaktur's leather interior work but competes at mass-market scale and dealer-led distribution rather than bespoke craft.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rose_manufaktur
• Xx.com/robertrosegmbh
• Facebookfacebook.com/ROSEGMBH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/robert-rose-gmbh

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Robert Rose