MAUMEE, Ohio and LOHR, Germany — Dana Holding Corp. and Bosch Rexroth AG have formed a 50-50 joint venture to develop and manufacture advanced powersplit drive transmissions for the off-highway market.

Known as Dana Rexroth Transmission Systems, the joint venture will engineer, manufacture and market hydromechanical variable powersplit transmission systems for global off-highway markets.

The hydromechanical variable transmission (HVT) will play an important role in improving fuel economy, productivity, emissions reductions and vehicle maneuverability, the two companies say. Dana and Bosch Rexroth each are contributing staff, intellectual property and capital to the new joint-venture company, which is based in Arco, Italy.

"This is a combination of two respected suppliers to the global off-highway equipment market," said Dana Chief Technical Officer George Constand. "Dana’s expertise in drivetrain system engineering and manufacturing and Bosch Rexroth’s deep experience in hydraulics and control systems will enable this enterprise to deliver a unique combination of advanced transmission solutions."

"The intelligent interaction of hydraulics and mechanics will be the driving factor for future innovation in drive transmissions," said Reiner Leipold-Buettner, president of business unit mobile applications, Bosch Rexroth. "Only those with the best know-how in both fields will master these sophisticated market demands. Dana and Bosch Rexroth ideally combine both fields."

Dana Rexroth Transmission Systems’ HVT series are targeted for the construction, material handling and forestry markets with initial focus on wheel loaders and graders up to 360 horsepower (270 kW). Tests on front-end loaders with the new HVT powersplit systems demonstrated fuel savings in the drivetrain of more than 20 percent when compared with the same vehicle outfitted with a conventional torque converter transmission, the two companies said.

The joint venture’s website can be accessed at www.danarexroth.com.