GKN Driveline has officially unveiled plans to significantly expand its distribution center in Mebane, North Carolina, to better serve its manufacturing operations in Mebane, Sanford and Roxboro/Timberlake, North Carolina.
The expanded facility will enable GKN Driveline to meet growing demand for its technology from automakers in the Americas. The distribution center will focus primarily on GKN’s sideshaft and propshaft production, although GKN says it is also seeing rising demand for its all-wheel drive and electric drive systems across the Americas region, according to the company.
“GKN is expanding rapidly and to support that growth we need world-class engineering and distribution centers that can keep pace with the needs of our valued global customers,” said Robert Willig, president, GKN Driveline Americas. “This expanded facility and its state-of-the-art equipment and systems will play an instrumental role in the success of our global supply chain system.”
The $6.3 million investment will result in a 134,000-square-foot state-of-the-art distribution center and will create approximately 13 jobs. An additional 13 positions will potentially be transferred to the area.
“GKN has always been a great partner with Mebane and the entire Alamance County area,” said David Cheek, Mebane city manager. “It has invested more than $40 million in the area over the past five or six years. But, it is not just that. It’s GKN’s involvement and commitment to the community that is really making a difference. We are very excited this global organisation is growing here and that they continue to call Mebane home.”
Construction on the expanded facility will begin during the fourth quarter of 2015 and will be complete by the beginning of 2016.
