GKN

For other uses, see GKN (disambiguation).

GKN Ltd
Company typelimited company
IndustryAutomotive
Aerospace
PredecessorJohn Lysaght and Co. Edit this on Wikidata
Founded1759; 265 years ago (1759)
(Dowlais, Wales)
HeadquartersRedditch, England, UK
Key people
ProductsVehicle and aircraft components
Revenue£9,671 million (2017)[1]
£699 million (2017)[1]
£509 million (2017)[1]
OwnerMelrose Industries
Number of employees
58,000 (2017)[2]
DivisionsGKN Driveline, GKN Aerospace, GKN Land Systems, GKN Powder Metallurgy
Websitewww.gknaerospace.com

GKN Ltd is a British multinational automotive and aerospace components business headquartered in Redditch, England. It was a long-running business known for many decades as Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds. It can trace its origins back to 1759 and the birth of the Industrial Revolution. In 2018 GKN plc was acquired by Melrose Industries plc in a hostile takeover. Melrose divested GKN Automotive and GKN Powder Metallurgy in 2023 and listed them as Dowlais Group on the London Stock Exchange. GKN Aerospace continues to be owned by Melrose plc.

Throughout the majority of the twentieth century, though steel production remained the core of GKN it branched into tooling and component manufacturing. It was deeply impacted by government policies during the latter half of the century, during which Britain's steel industry was subject to multiple nationalisation and privatisation efforts. During the 1980s, GKN Steel reduced its presence in the steel sector, selling off or shutting down its works.

GKN Steel renamed itself GKN during 1986 to indicate its shift away from steel production. Business activities were re-orientated around the aerospace, automotive and industrial services markets. In 1994,[3][4] GKN purchased Westland Aircraft. The company later organised a joint venture of Westland's helicopter interests with Agusta to form AgustaWestland[5][6] and its sale to Italian defense firm Finmeccanica. During November 1995, Dana Corporation purchased GKN's axle group; the two firms continued to operate joint ventures in the field for many years.

During the early 2000s, it took over Tochigi Fuji Sangyo K.K, a Japanese manufacturer of differentials and driveline torque systems. During December 2011, GKN Aerospace Engineering services division was sold to product engineering firm Quest Global. In 2012, GKN acquired the Swedish aerospace engine specialist Volvo Aero. During 2018, Melrose Industries acquired GKN with a £8.1 billion deal.

  1. ^ a b c "Preliminary Results 2017" (PDF). GKN. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  2. ^ "About us". gkn.com. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
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