Dana and Bosch Rexroth Form JV

Automotive parts suppliers Dana Holding Corporation and Bosch Rexroth AG announced over the weekend the signing of a memorandum of understanding which will form the basis for a new joint venture. The goal of the new company, owned equally by the two suppliers, is to engineer and build advanced drive transmissions for the off-highway market.

"We are excited about the opportunities that this combination of two respected global off-highway transmission manufacturers presents," Dana Chief Technical Officer George Constand said in a release.

"Together, Dana and Bosch Rexroth offer a broad range of complementary skill sets, which will enable the joint venture to deliver a unique array of advanced transmission solutions to the off-highway marketplace."

The new company will operate from Arco, Italy and will be in charge with the development and manufacturing of hydro-mechanical variable powersplit transmission systems (HVT). Both sides will provide staff, intellectual property, and capital for their common goal.

"The smart interaction of hydraulics and mechanics will be the driving factor for future innovation in drive transmissions," Bosch Rexroth vice president of engineering and manufacturing Reiner Leipold-Buettner added.

"Only those with the best know-how in both fields will master the growing market demands. Dana and Bosch Rexroth ideally combine both fields."

Dana supplies axles, driveshafts, off-highway transmissions, sealing and thermal-management products, while Bosch Rexroth operates in the field of drive and control technologies. Bosch alone has a customer base of some 500,000.