GKN Driveline Opens Manufacturing Plant in Turkey

GKN Driveline recently opened a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Eskisehir, Turkey.

Located 160 kilometres from Bursa, GKN Driveline’s 38,000 square-metre Eskisehir plant will eventually employ 250 people with an annual production capacity of two-million sideshafts for customers based in Turkey.

"Turkey is becoming an important growth market for GKN,” said Nigel Stein, GKN Driveline’s chief executive. "We were committed to support our customers in the region prior to the recent global economic crisis and are proud to be here today making good on that pledge.”

Located on a 3.8-hectare site, GKN Driveline’s Eskisehir facility is initially only using 3,000 square metres – leaving plenty of room for expansion in the future.

Speaking at opening ceremonies for the new plant, Stein also noted that GKN Driveline is the world’s leading provider of constant-velocity jointed systems, all-wheel-drive-systems, trans-axle solutions and electric-drive systems.

Ali Gümüs, managing director for GKN Driveline’s operations in Turkey, said the company has invested more than seven-million Turkish lira (£2.9 million) on the new facility.

"Locating this facility in Eskisehir will enable us to more efficiently serve major customers located in Turkey, including Tofas-Fiat, Ford-Otosan, Oyak-Renault, Honda and Toyota,” Gümüs said.

About GKN Driveline

GKN Driveline is the world’s leading supplier of automotive driveline components and systems. As a global company serving the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers, GKN Driveline develops, builds and supplies an extensive range of automotive driveline components – for use in the smallest ultra low-cost car to the most sophisticated premium vehicle demanding the most complex driving dynamics.

GKN Driveline is a leading global producer of sideshafts, propshafts, mechanically and electronically controlled torque management systems and associated geared components.

www.gkndriveline.com

About the GKN Group

GKN plc is a global engineering business serving mainly the automotive, industrial, off-highway and aerospace markets. It has operations in more than 30 countries, around 38,000 employees in subsidiaries and joint ventures and had sales of £4.5 billion in the year to 31 December 2009. GKN plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: GKN).

www.gkn.com