BorgWarner to expand UK turbocharger production to supply Jaguar Land Rover
May 20, 2013
BorgWarner has announced plans to expand UK production in order to supply Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR’s) new family of four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines with turbocharging technologies. To support JLR’s new Engine Manufacturing Centre near Wolverhampton, UK, BorgWarner plans to expand on its existing production lines and build a new engineering centre in Bradford, UK.
“With our investment in local production and testing, BorgWarner will provide Jaguar Land Rover with fast-to-market, high-quality advanced technologies adapted to their specific needs,” stated Frederic Lissalde, President and General Manager, BorgWarner Turbo Systems. “BorgWarner’s investment in innovation will also help support the local economy with highly skilled engineering and manufacturing jobs, and our increased collaboration with the university will help develop the talent needed to drive turbocharging advancements for the future.”
Ian Harnett, Jaguar Land Rover’s Purchasing Director, added “Jaguar Land Rover remains committed to enhancing and developing the automotive supply chain in the UK. This contract is a great example of how we want to work in partnership with our supply chain to develop innovative solutions to support future growth.”
BorgWarner has produced turbocharging systems for several commercial engine manufacturers in Bradford for nearly 35 years. The new production line will expand the company’s product offerings to include turbochargers for passenger cars. In addition, the new engineering centre will provide application engineering, design, simulation, testing and validation as well as metallurgical labs. The new centre is supported by a grant from the UK government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF), which supports projects that leverage private sector investment to create economic growth and sustainable employment.
Since 2011, BorgWarner has been collaborating with the University of Huddersfield on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership to research improvements in materials for turbocharger housings. A new master’s degree programme in turbocharger engineering, supported by BorgWarner, will offer students the opportunity to specialize in an advanced technology to improve fuel economy, reduce emissions and enhance performance for passenger cars and commercial vehicles.
