GKN Automotive

Manufacturer of driveline components

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GKN Automotive

Company type| Division
Industry| Automotive
Headquarters| London,

United Kingdom

Area served

| Worldwide
Products| Automotive Components
Owner| Dowlais Group PLC [1]

Number of employees

| 25,000 (2023)

GKN Automotive is a multinational manufacturer of driveline components, all-wheel drive systems and plug-in hybrid systems for the automotive industry.[2]

It employs around 25,000 people across 47 manufacturing facilities and 6 technology centres in 19 countries.[3]

In 2018, Melrose Industries[2] acquired GKN Ltd and renamed it GKN Automotive.[4] This encompasses both the Driveline and ePowertrain divisions.[3]

GKN Automotive became the world's largest producer of constant-velocity joints (CVJs), which it began manufacturing in the 1960s for early front-wheel drive cars.[5] Its other products include sideshafts, propshafts, modular eDrive systems, multi-mode hybrid transmissions for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, torque vectoring systems for electric drivelines and a range of all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive systems.[2]

## History

[edit]

GKN, originally known as Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds, first began in 1759 with the establishment of Dowlais Ironworks by Thomas Lewis and Isaac Wilkinson. In the early 19th century, the company was actively involved in the railway boom through its production of iron. This was followed by a shift to steel production in the 1860s. After World War I, GKN diversified into the automotive industry.[citation needed]

In 1966, after being advised GKN Steel would be nationalised for the second time, GKN bought CVJ market leaders Birfield Industries with its subsidiaries Hardy Spicer and Laycock Engineering with their interests and subsidiaries in Europe, Japan and the United States to save its BRD subsidiary.[6] This was the start of the company's globalization. GKN established a manufacturing presence in China in 1988. At the same time, GKN Driveline was investing in and growing its business in India, Brazil and Mexico.[citation needed]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Dowlais Group PLC". www.dowlais.com. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
2. ^ a b c "GKN Automotive Limited - MarkLines Automotive Industry Portal". www.marklines.com. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
3. ^ a b "GKN Automotive - Company". GKN. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
4. ^ "Our heritage | GKN Automotive". GKN. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
5. ^ "Confucius rules at GKN". The Economist. 14 September 2000. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
6. ^ Andrew Lorenz, GKN, the making of a Business, Wiley UK, 2009 ISBN 9780470749531

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Jones, Edgar: A History of GKN. Volume One: Innovation & Enterprise 1759-1918. GKN plc (1987)
* Jones, Edgar: A History of GKN. Volume Two: The Growth of a Business 1918-1945. GKN plc (1990)
* GKN plc factsheet: http://www.gkn.com/media/Documents/GKNfactsheet_final.pdf Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, 12.08.2011

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GKN

People|

* Arthur Keen
* Thomas Lewis
* Joseph Nettlefold
* Kevin Smith
* Chow Chung-kong

* Isaac Wilkinson

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* GKN Driveline
* John Lysaght and Co.
* Vandervell
* Volvo Aero

Former subsidiaries|

* Lysaght (50%)

Products|

* FV432
* GKN Simba
* Tactica

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* Dowlais Ironworks

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