BorgWarner’s facility in Seneca, S.C., was formally named the North American supplier of two-speed, part-time four-wheel drive transfer cases for the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. To celebrate the business award and product launch, a special event was held on March 21, attended by the Senior Vice President of Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America (TEMA) Chris Nielsen, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt, state and local government officials, and BorgWarner executives and employees.
Along with other new business, this award from Toyota is expected to create more than 150 regular full-time jobs at the BorgWarner plant, which currently employs over 650 people.
“With the help of economic and other incentives from the state of South Carolina, BorgWarner has invested nearly $60 million in the Seneca facility and created over 470 new jobs in the past five years,” said Dr. Stefan Demmerle, President and General Manager, BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems. “The outstanding reputation our employees have built as a premier transfer case supplier has led directly to this major new business award with Toyota. This launch represents a significant milestone for BorgWarner, Toyota, the state and the local economy.”
“We consider the transfer case BorgWarner is producing here to be the global benchmark, and as our production in North America continues to increase, we need our supply base to grow with us,” said Nielsen. “Strong suppliers, such as BorgWarner, will continue to be critically important to Toyota.”
BorgWarner’s transfer cases for the Toyota Tundra switch between two-wheel and four-wheel drive while moving (or “shifting-on-the-fly”), using an electromagnetic-based synchronization system to synchronize the front and rear axle speeds before locking them together. Unlike conventional mechanical systems, BorgWarner’s electromagnetic-based system provides a smooth, quiet and consistent transition from two-wheel to four-wheel drive with the turn of a dial. The transfer case featured in the Toyota Tundra is also equipped with BorgWarner’s HY-VO® transfer case chain, optimized for high-efficiency and durable performance.
Subscribe to Motor Age and receive articles like this every month…absolutely free. Click here
