GKN driveline continues expansion in China

GKN Driveline plans to open a major new production facility in Wuhan, China, next year. Haixiang Wang, business development director for GKN Group -- China, said the company will build a 44,000-square-metre plant scheduled to open during the first half of 2009.

Speaking at recent press briefings in Beijing, Wang said the Shanghai GKN (SDS) facility in Wuhan initially will supply driveshafts for Dongfeng and Dongfeng’s joint-venture programmes with Honda and Citroen. Expected to provide more than 600 jobs, the plant will have an annual production capacity of more than 1,000,000 driveshafts.

The company also showcased technology from its 10 existing Chinese production facilities during the recent Beijing International Auto Show (April 20-28).

The first major European automotive supplier to invest in China, GKN is the country’s leading producer of driveline components. GKN Driveline currently has automotive manufacturing operations in Kangqiao, Zhoupu and Shenjiang in Pudong, Shanghai, as well as plants in Chongqing and Jilin.

The GKN executive added that the company is introducing "breakthrough" technology that provides lighter driveshaft components, improved fuel economy and better overall vehicle performance.

“Customers whose cars are equipped with our new technology will notice significant improvements in performance," said Wang.

GKN Driveline's next generation of driveshaft components will enable automakers to provide new-car buyers with products that are:

Lighter by up to two kilos per vehicle set,
More efficient with improved fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions,
Easier to park with turning-circle reductions of one metre or more and
Quieter, due to reductions in driveline noise, vibration and harshness.

"Our new designs represent the first major change in constant-velocity-joint (CVJ) technology in more than 70 years," said Wang. "Teamwork played a major role in the development process. Engineering groups working together at company research centres around the world were able to develop production-ready components in less than three years."

He added that information about GKN Driveline’s global operations will soon be available on the Internet in Mandarin at www.gkndriveline.com. Currently available in English, German and Japanese, the company will add Mandarin in June, followed by Italian, French, Portuguese and Spanish during the next 12 months.