GKN Automotive – The global leader in drive system

GKN is a corporation with an extraordinary origin. It’s more than 260 years of company history that came into being during the Industrial Revolution. These are turns of the passionate people who created it and whose names gave rise to the acronym GKN (Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds). It’s a story about the changes and innovations associated with the birth of the railroad, the invention of the automobile, the development of space flight. It’s the story of how a small ironworks in South Wales became a global giant. The company has 47 plants in 19 countries across Europe, the Americas, Japan, China, India, Malaysia and Thailand. It has also two plants in Poland since 1996. Over the years, the company has changed its shape and direction many times, but has always maintained its place at the forefront of engineering.

GKN Driveline Poland
24 years ago, GKN decided to open one of its Driveline branches in our country. Initially, production was carried out in rented buildings, but as the automotive market grew, the company began looking for a place for a new location. On July 13, 1999, GKN’s first Polish plant was opened in Oleśnica (30 km from Wrocław). GKN Driveline Poland produces half-shafts, driveshafts and the components necessary for their manufacture. It is also the location of one of GKN’s 6 engineering centres in the world. The factory is one of the largest and most modern in the region. At present, GKN in Poland employs almost 1600 people. Our machine park is more than 800 machines and annual turnover is almost 700 million euros. The history of GKN in Poland is the result of the work of open-minded and visionary leaders whose dreams and plans went beyond mere expectations, of the GKN board of directors who saw Poland’s potential and decided to invest here, and of people and institutions who have supported us repeatedly (special thanks to the British Embassy in Poland, the British-Polish Chamber of Commerce and local authorities).

Human potential
GKN’s strength has always been based on the commitment of its employees. Without them, our dreams could not come true. At GKN, employees are not limited in the development of their career paths by their current role, and the company encourages employees to strive for promotion and self-improvement. Work experience, knowledge and commitment to work are three criteria that open doors to new opportunities. GKN not only believes in the sense of developing current employees, but also takes steps to train a new cadre of professionals. The company provides internship opportunities for students of the Wroclaw University of Technology, who often return after graduation and get employment here. This relationship is mutually beneficial – GKN gets employees trained to meet its needs, and the university has internship sites and business contacts. GKN also cooperates with vocational schools. Vocational training is seen by the manufacturing industry in Poland as increasingly important for the future.

Global partner to the automotive industry

For years, GKN has been one of the world’s leading technology and engineering companies – a key supplier of components for most passenger car brands. We are a cutting-edge company with an outstanding reputation for innovation and quality – GKN is the only company outside Japan to have been named Toyota’s top supplier three times. Over the centuries, GKN has gone through various stages and various changes. It has never been afraid of innovations. It has always been able to capitalize on them. That’s why, after so many years, it still holds a unique place in the history of the industry. And it has a significant impact on its future. We are the company that sets the wheels of hundreds of millions of cars in motion. A company that sets the world in motion.