GKN Driveline to Expand Again in Maiden, NC, Creating 143 New Jobs and Investing $110 M

For Immediate Release

For more information contact:
Julie Pruett, Director of Business Recruitment
Catawba County Economic Development Corporation
828-267-1564

MAIDEN, NC – GKN Driveline announced today it intends to expand its Catawba County manufacturing facility again. The company plans to create at least 143 new jobs by the end of 2019 and invest more than $110 million in this location. This is the second major expansion of the Maiden facility in two years.  In 2014, GKN Driveline expanded this facility by committing to invest $122 million and creating 228 new jobs. 

GKN Driveline’s expansion in Maiden is facilitated in part by an award to the company from North Carolina’s Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) program that was approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee and announced today. Local incentives will be considered by both the Town of Maiden and Catawba County at their regularly scheduled meetings in January.

“The entire GKN Driveline team is excited to once again expand our operations in Maiden and Catawba County in anticipation of additional business in the coming years,” said  Peter Moelgg, CEO, All Wheel Drive & E Drive, GKN Driveline. “The Maiden location is well-suited to support automotive manufacturers throughout the country and the team here has been critical to successfully gaining new customer contracts. The new expansion is a win for the community, our customers and our company and a positive economic sign for the future.”

GKN Driveline, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GKN plc with U.S. headquarters in Michigan, is expanding several locations within NC, including its Catawba County facility. Due to additional business volume, the expansion will include material flow improvements and the addition of new equipment for innovative processes. The company currently employs 1,097 in its Catawba County facility. GKN employs an additional 1,534 people at companies in other counties in North Carolina, making North Carolina the state with the largest GKN presence in the country.

“This announcement represents the second major expansion for GKN Driveline in the last two years in the Town of Maiden,” said Mayor Robert Smyre, Town of Maiden. “It speaks about their confidence in the workforce and the community. GKN believes this is a place with a proven track record where they will succeed. We applaud GKN’s announcement and continued growth in the Town of Maiden.”

“GKN Driveline’s continued growth in Catawba County tells the world that our county is an excellent place for manufacturing, including automotive manufacturing,” said Randy Isenhower, Chair of the Catawba County Board of Commissioners, “GKN is the top employer in our growing cluster of automotive components manufacturers.  We appreciate their commitment to Catawba County and look forward to their continued growth.”

“GKN Driveline is a progressive, technology and innovation-focused company," said Dan Timmerman, Chairman of Catawba County Economic Development Corporation. “Their growth in the industry and their dedication to research and development makes them a stable and well-paying employer for our citizens.”

GKN Driveline is a 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 technologies -   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 CVJ Systems, AWD Systems, Trans Axle Solutions and eDrive Systems and operates in 23 countries at 46 locations employing approximately 25,500 people.

For more information about GKN Driveline including job opportunities, visit http://www.gkn.com/Careers

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SEE ADDITIONAL COVERAGE:
GKN Driveline to add 143 jobs in Maiden over 3 years (Hickory Daily Record) 
GKN Driveline adding over 140 jobs in Catawba County (WBTV)