AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — GKN Driveline is expanding its operations in the Asia Pacific region with new production facilities, technology centers and the introduction of technology for low-cost vehicles.
The company’s recently opened plant near Chennai, India, now supplies nearly 1.2 million sideshafts for automakers in India. The facility is scheduled for further expansion within the next 12 months. GKN Driveline currently employs more than 800 people at three manufacturing plants in India.
At India’s bi-annual Auto Expo in New Delhi in January, GKN Driveline displayed sideshafts now in production for the ultra low-cost Tata Nano, as well as electronic limited-slip differentials for premium cars such as the Jaguar XFR.
Speaking at a New Delhi media briefing, Joachim Horst, GKN Driveline’s engineering director for Asia Pacific, said the company also is actively developing driveline systems for electric hybrid vehicles. He noted that more than 200,000 hybrid electric cars equipped with GKN Driveline components already are on the road in Japan.
Late last year GKN Driveline opened its eleventh plant in China. The new driveshaft facility is wholly-owned by Shanghai GKN, a joint venture between GKN Driveline and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC).
Located in Wuhan, the plant is close to Dongfeng Automotive Group, one of China’s top four automotive companies. The facility at Wuhan supplies vehicle manufacturers in central China, including Dongfeng Auto, Dongfeng Citroen, Dongfeng Nissan and Dongfeng Honda.
GKN Driveline also started volume production of transmission differentials for major vehicle manufacturers at a new wholly-owned facility in Pudong, Shanghai, China, less than two years ago.
In addition to transmission differentials, GKN Driveline is developing a number of all-wheel-drive (AWD) power-transfer-unit (PTU) applications for Chinese and Asian vehicle manufacturers.
The first European-based automotive supplier to invest in China, GKN also has automotive manufacturing operations in Kangqiao, Zhoupu and Shenjiang in Pudong, Shanghai, as well as plants in Chongqing.
