Amsted Automotive Group formed from Burgess-Norton and Means Industries to focus on electric vehicle systems
March 9, 2021
Designer and manufacturer of industrial solutions Amsted Industries, Chicago, Illinois, USA, has brought two of its Tier 1 automotive supply business units, Means Industries and Burgess-Norton, together to form a new technology team: Amsted Automotive Group (AAG). The move combines the groups advanced metal forming, Powder Metallurgy, and electro-mechanical torque transfer and propulsion system design capabilities.
The integration is set to provide an expanded global presence, with sixteen facilities throughout North America, Asia and Europe to better serve the company’s customer base with a robust manufacturing footprint producing over 100 million components and assemblies annually. It is expected to position AAG as a vertically integrated leader of electrified propulsion solutions for global transportation systems.
“The world automotive market is going through a period of fundamental change,” stated Stephen Smith, chairman, president and CEO, Amsted Industries. “The transition to electric vehicles has the potential to reshape much of the industry, including the supply base. We are bringing Means Industries and Burgess-Norton together to form the AAG to focus on being significant participants in electric vehicle technology, design and manufacturing supply, while capitalising on the remaining opportunities for supply to traditional internal combustion engine programs.”
This combination of experience in torque transfer and powder-metal forming is expected to strengthen component developments, aiming to reduce parasitic losses in the powertrain. This could, potentially, extend the driving ranges of electric vehicles and reduce electric motor and battery requirements.
The advantage of AAG’s formation became apparent to the company during development of a disconnect device used in a new production electric vehicle to be launched in 2021. This device uses clutching technology developed by Means and Burgess-Norton proprietary Powder Metallurgy forming. With AAG, the teams’ further integration may allow for more rapid, streamlined brainstorming, development and refinement of ideas, prototyping and manufacturing.
“The electric vehicle market is no longer emerging. It is here, and production volumes will increase rapidly,” commented Jeremy Holt, president of AAG. “The formation of AAG aligns our design and engineering expertise, making the company a leader in torque transfer for electric vehicles without diminishing resources for internal-combustion engine programs.”
