Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake expands wheel-end manufacturing facility in response to continued strong US demand for air disc brakes
Dr. Peter Laier, Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse AG and responsible for the
Commercial Vehicle Systems division, attended the groundbreaking ceremony among other
executives and partner organizations: “The trend toward greater traffic safety is leading to an increasing substitution of drum brakes by the even more safety-oriented air disc brakes in the North American market. Against this background, the expansion of our wheel-end
capacity in Bowling Green marks one of Knorr-Bremse’s largest investments in 2019 and
2020.”
Carlos Hungria, Bendix Chief Operating Officer added: “Our team in Bowling Green is
exceptional. They surpassed the 3-million-unit production milestone for the Bendix®
ADB22X® air disc brake earlier this year. And now, through this latest investment in highly
efficient production technology, they will be even better positioned to meet the escalatingdemand for air disc brakes in North America.”
BSFB is expanding its facility on a parcel adjacent to its 302,000-square-foot building, a
leased space the company is purchasing as part of the investment. Among other
improvements in support of Bendix’s North American air disc brake (ADB) portfolio, the stateof- the-art expansion will add a new bracket weld machine center, a third ADB production line, four ADB caliper machining centers, engineering test capabilities, plus an on-site employee medical clinic. Space will also be held in reserve to address longer-term growth opportunities.
The facility employs over 400 team members covering three shifts. Completion of the
upgraded plant – which will total 432,000 square feet – is expected by the end of 2020.
The joint venture produces the full lineup of commercially available Bendix® brand foundationdrum and air disc brake solutions at the Bowling Green wheel-end facility. Since its opening in 2007, Bendix has invested millions of dollars in production capacity and automation – part of the company’s commitment to continually invest in and improve its manufacturing operations.
The expanded Bowling Green site will continue to incorporate green building guidelines,
including an energy-efficient infrastructure, and zero landfill concepts as essential elements in the construction plans. The efforts contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goal SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) that Knorr-Bremse supports along with four other SDGs to meet high environmental and sustainability requirements and standards. Within the framework of the “Agenda 2030” of the United Nations, Knorr-Bremse wants to make an effective contribution.
