Bestop, founded in 1954 by Tom Bradley, provided an oral history explaining how it grew from sewing Jeep canvas tops into both a mainstream aftermarket brand and an OEM supplier that furnished soft-top systems for the YJ Wrangler.
The company expanded from seven people in a Colorado schoolhouse to a 500-plus-person operation with assembly plants and a Detroit-area office. Bestop has changed ownership several times and is currently owned by private equity as the capstone of a group that includes Baja Designs, PRP Seats and Softopper.
Jake Taylor (Marketing Lead) and Rick Troeger (Senior Program Manager and Engineer) described Bestop's OEM breakthrough with the YJ, saying the company manufactured and shipped cut-and-sew fabric and metal frames directly to the Brampton, Canada assembly plant. Troeger said that YJ soft-top work was Bestop's first introduction as a tier-one supplier into the OEM industry.
Moving into OEM supply broadened Bestop's role in vehicle manufacturing beyond aftermarket accessories. Jake Taylor and Rick Troeger noted that Bestop continued aftermarket production while expanding its influence through OEM contracts.
This summary is based on coverage by The Drive.
Read the full article at The Drive.
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