In 1930 they started producing bodies for the Volkswagen Beetle, and in 1949 Porsche started using their bodies for their sports cars.
When operations moved to Stuttgart, it marked the beginning of a close working relationship with the nearby Reutter coachworks – to become the main supplier of Porsche bodies for nearly two decades, before being annexed into the Porsche organization.
It didn’t take discerning auto enthusiasts very long to realize that these Reutter-bodied Porsches were built to a higher standard than could be found on vehicles from most competing nameplates. Reutter’s exemplary workmanship was evident in the quality of components and in overall fit-and-finish.
(source: The Auto Channel).
Due to new manufacturing methods, the market for car bodies went downhill in the 1950s and Reutter found itself on hard times.
In 1963 Porsche acquired the Reutter Stuttgart Coach Builder car body factory. What remained was renamed Recaro GmbH & Co, changing its focus to high-end seats.
The foundation for the present company was laid in 1963, as RECARO was formed as a play on words — Reutter and CAROsserien (coaches). The first RECARO sport seat was introduced in 1965, and in motor racing, the company quickly became a recognized brand name.
The company began producing both production seats for Porsche and a separate line of aftermarket seats. In 1969, The Reutter family sold their ownership to three companies, Keiper, Huber & Wagner and Metzeler due to economic problems. In 1983, Keiper purchased all shares in Recaro and established Keiper Recaro GmbH & Co in Kirchheim (Teck) near Esslingen am Neckar.