GKN Automotive

Our site in Trier, Germany, is marking 60 years of operation - a significant achievement that reflects the long-standing success of the site and the hard work of its employees, past and present. The site employs 400 team members and produces over 60 million precision-formed driveshaft components annually, used in vehicles around the world. To mark the anniversary, the plant will host an open day for colleagues and their families, with guided facility tours and a range of activities suitable for all. Hannes Hellweger, Vice President Operations Europe, and Wolfram Leibe, Mayor of the City of Trier, will be in attendance along with other guests of honour. Congratulations to the entire team for their contribution to these successes.

Earlier this week, we came together with our SDS joint venture colleagues for our Great Wall Motors Tech Day, held at the GWM offices in Baoding, China. The day centred on further strengthening relationships and was a great opportunity to showcase the breadth of innovation across our driveline and ePowertrain product portfolios. A series of workshops were held, including a keynote presentation from Keiwan Kashi, our Vice President of Engineering ePowertrain, in which he shared insights on our successful partnership with SDS, and took a look at the global opportunities for Great Wall Motors, via our established global footprint. Bryan Shaver, our VP Commercial, Emerging Customer Group, and Dawei Wang, Chief Engineer Customer Engineering China, also attended to meet with our GWM customer and SDS colleagues. As the global leader in drive systems, our heritage, scale and expertise mean we’re uniquely well-positioned to continue to support the expansion of Chinese OEMs globally, and events like these are a great opportunity to further strengthen these relationships in the region. Thank you to GWM for hosting and to our teams for their collaboration in shaping a highly informative event.

Our VL3 sideshaft, winner of an Automotive News PACE Award, provides a premium solution for high-performance rear-wheel drive vehicles. With its VL3 plunging joints, compact diaphragm boot sealing system and monoblock tubular shaft (MTS), our VL3 sideshaft design offers compactness, reduced weight and improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) performance, plus adjustable system stiffness. Alongside its plunging joints, sealing system and MTS, our VL3 sideshaft provides additional functionality and high-level performance through its outboard joint and face spline wheel hub connection, offering significant serviceability enhancements.

"Regardless of the sustainability strategy – whether it be net zero, human rights challenges or supply chains – partnership and collaboration with external parties is critical. Tackling significant environmental and societal challenges without working in partnership is impossible."   Tom Salisbury, our Director of Sustainability, recently spoke with The Manufacturer following the release of our 2024 sustainability report.   He outlined the progress we're making towards our 2045 net zero target, as well as the evolving expectations of customers, society and regulation, which require greater collaboration across the supply chain.   Read the full interview here as Tom unpacks these key issues: https://lnkd.in/eMD6Qitu

With replacement parts, precision matters. Our sealing boots are an exact fit for every vehicle, to ensure optimum sealing of the joint, with the rubber and TPE materials specifically designed and tested for purpose.     GKN Automotive Aftermarket offers customised boot sets that are an exact match with the original and deliver the same exceptional #performance. For perfect fitment, professional repairers have a range of online resources at their fingertips, including installation guides for all the individual parts.   Find out more about GKN Automotive Aftermarket here: https://lnkd.in/eArntpwi 

Sustainability drives everything we do — from product #innovation to our operations. Our goal: carbon #NetZero by 2045. We're engineering a better planet. #SustainableMobility #GreenEngineering

Equipped with our advanced SX Countertrack Constant-velocity Joint and Monobloc Tubular Interconnecting Shafts (MTS), the Lucid Air Grand Touring recently broke the record for the longest distance driven by an electric vehicle on a single charge.  Surpassing the previous record by an impressive 160km, the vehicle completed 1,205km (approximately 749 miles) without recharging, on a journey that took the vehicle from St. Moritz in Switzerland to Munich, Germany.  We are proud that our SX-MTS sideshaft, which offers leading torque transfer efficiency and weight-saving ability, played a supporting role in this fantastic achievement. Well done to the teams involved for their ongoing role in pushing the boundaries of range!  Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/eAgHwSam

As an expert in intelligent all-wheel drive systems, our Electronic Torque Manager (ETM) has an exceptional track record. Featured on vehicles including one of the most powerful series production AWD BEV sportscars on the market, the system consists of a ball ramp mechanism in conjunction with a multi-plate clutch, directly actuated by an electric motor.     The direct actuation method delivers responsive and electronically controlled driveline and axle coupling for enhanced vehicle stability and superior low drag #torque performance. Available as integrated or side-mounted variants, the ETM system is compatible with a wide variety of propulsion sources.   To find out more see here: https://lnkd.in/gP2A666A

For the third year in a row, our site in Oleśnica, Poland, has been awarded the title of Friendly Workplace by Manpower Poland™.   At GKN Automotive, we’re focused on building a workplace where people can develop their skills and contribute to long-term success. A key part of this is maintaining an environment that’s inclusive and supportive.   This continued recognition reinforces the work we’re doing to invest in our teams and create a culture built on development.   Karolina Walczak, HR Director, accepted the award on behalf of GKN Automotive Poland, and Jakub Madaj, Regional HR Director – Eastern Europe, took part in a panel discussion on: "From Development to Satisfaction: What Really Matters to Employees Now."   Thank you to Manpower Poland™ for this recognition, and congratulations to all the other organisations that received an award.

We are the global leader in drive systems and number one provider of sideshafts across all propulsion types. So, how did we get here? See below to find out...