AISIN North Carolina Corporation Invests More Than $200 million in New Production Lines
June 21, 2023
Two-motor hybrid transmissions will be manufactured in Durham
AISIN Corporation announced today that it will launch two new production lines – with a total anticipated investment of more than $200 million – at its AISIN North Carolina Corporation (ANC) facility in Durham, North Carolina. The new lines will incorporate a high level of automation and support the production of two-motor hybrid transmissions for automakers.
The new production of two-motor hybrid transmission systems strengthens the company’s electrification efforts in North America.
“This is not only a significant investment in our plant, but an investment in the future of mobility,” said ANC President Shuji Oda. “Our new production lines will position us to better support our carbon neutrality goals and further strengthen our collaboration with key customers.”
The company’s first big milestone on the new lines will be completing a trial by the end of the year. Anticipated start-of-production for transmissions is April 2025, with volumes slated for approximately 30,000 per month.
In addition to implementing the new lines and capital equipment, the investment has created the opportunity to better streamline the Durham plant, enabling better flow of materials and resources across its footprint.
Beyond manufacturing a product that enables more eco-friendly transportation, the new lines will help reduce the facility’s carbon footprint through equipment that requires the use of less air. Additionally, new LED high-bay lighting, controlled by Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, will be installed to reduce energy use. The introduction of energy monitoring tools as well as HVAC upgrades are also in the works.
To complement its hybrid transmission work, ANC team members will undergo a two-week electrification training program. There are no plans for additional personnel at the location, which currently employs approximately 2,000 team members.
Durham, ANC’s home for 25 years, is also home to hundreds of high-tech companies and is part of the world-renowned Research Triangle Region, which is anchored by three tier-one research universities including Duke University. The city’s talented workforce has grown 30 percent in the last decade and is supported by North Carolina Central University, Durham Technical Community College and dozens of other universities and colleges in the region.
About AISIN North Carolina Corporation
AISIN North Carolina Corporation was established as AW North Carolina, Inc. in 1998 to produce automatic transmissions for passenger cars and trucks and was AISIN Corporation’s first transmission plant located in North America. Today, ANC employs nearly two thousand team members and supplies automatic transmissions and related powertrain components to Toyota Motor North America and AISIN’s newest transmission facility, AISIN Texas Corporation, established in 2021 in Cibolo, Texas.