GKN Driveline To Expand Facility In Newton, N.C.

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GKN Driveline To Expand Facility In Newton, N.C.

Expansion expected to create more than 200 jobs by end of 2018.

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
Published:

NEWTON, N.C. – GKN Driveline announced it will expand its Newton, N.C., facility in Catawba County. The company plans to create more than 200 new jobs in North Carolina by the end of 2018 and invest more than $100 million in the location. The project is made possible in part by an award from the state Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) program, as voted by the state Economic Investment Committee.
 
"GKN Driveline has a rich history in North Carolina, specifically in Catawba County. We are proud to be part of the growth of this facility and community, and as future opportunities arise, we look forward to continued reinvestment in the state," said Robert Willig, president, GKN Driveline Americas. "The expansion will help GKN Driveline better serve customers in the region and beyond, with improvements not only in what we do, but how we do it. We remain committed to producing the highest quality products and providing innovations that help advance the automotive industry."
 
Using the grant funds, GKN Driveline will increase the manufacturing floor space by more than 25 percent  to accommodate additional business volume in geared components.
 
GKN Driveline Newton employs more than 700 people, supporting machining and assembly of high precision products for AWD applications. GKN employs an additional 1,530 employees at companies in other counties across North Carolina; locations include Roxboro, Mebane and Sanford.
 
In October of 2013, GKN Driveline Newton was awarded the Certificate of Special Recognition Safety Award by North Carolina State Commissioner of Labor Cherie Berry. The award recognizes a North Carolina-based business that achieves 1 million safe employee hours without a lost-time accident.
 
Established in 1986, the Newton facility was acquired by GKN plc in 2011 when the company purchased Getrag Corp.’s all-wheel drive component business. Other products made at the facility include Trans Axle Solutions (gear sets and housing) as well as eDrive Systems.
 
 
 

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Customer service should be your number one priority, and it all starts with the greeting.

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By Eric Garbe
Eric Garbe is a graduate of Columbus State Community College with a degree in Automotive Maintenance Technology. He has extensive independent and dealership field experience as a technician and shop owner and is an ASE Certified Master Technician and former Adjunct Automotive Professor. He has been professionally writing automotive technical articles and documents for many years and in his free time enjoys restoring old cars and creating custom interiors and upholstery.
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This is always an important topic to discuss, because I consider excellent customer service one of the most important tools you can have to earn trust, respect and repeat business from the customers that come through your door. Whether that customer is do-it-yourselfer from across town or the professional repair shop across the street, your business depends on a solid relationship.It’s a subject that I am passionate about, and it’s one that many people are losing touch with. Whether you are communicating to someone in person, on the phone or using some type of social media, good customer service and bad can both exist. You can’t afford the latter, so this is the first in a series of topics which can and should be shared from the front of the shop to the back. No matter which role you hold, you represent the shop and yourself. Customer service should be your number one priority.First on the list is the greeting. From the second a customer walks in the door, they need to know you appreciate them coming in and how important they are to your business. First impressions are everything and here’s the correct way to do it each and every time: look them directly in the eye, smile and say hello!Of course, you can say “Good morning” or “Welcome to Joe’s Autocare,” but it should be a formal greeting and the most important thing is that you have smiled, looked them in the eye and recognized that they have walked through the door.You should always retain a formal greeting until you are on a first-name basis with a customer. Only once you have established that level of relationship is it OK to use the less formal greeting of “Hi,” followed by the person’s name.This greeting does more than just indicate respect and appreciation for someone walking through the door. Most likely there are customers both new and old who are in earshot of your conversation. For newer customers, this continues to build rapport and reinforce their positive view of your shop; they see that you demonstrate respect and treat everyone in the same manner. For repeat customers, even ones that have been coming for years, the greeting is important because the way you treat them is the reason they continue to come.And when a long-time customer comes in and you greet them with “Hi [First Name],” this indicates your appreciation for them and that you’re glad to see them as a person, more than just a customer. New customers that witness this will see that your repeat customers are comfortable enough to be on a first-name basis, another indication of the trust they have in you.

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