Amsted Automotive Group Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Means Industries and Its Industry-Leading Clutch Technologies

Southfield, MI – Amsted Automotive celebrates a prominent milestone: the 100-year anniversary of group company Means Industries, which was established in 1922. Means will continue worldwide leadership into its next century by engineering high-quality torque transfer solutions for efficiency advancing products in electric vehicles. Means Electric Vehicle solutions include its first-of-its-kind Mechanical Diode, Controllable Mechanical Diode One-Way Clutch, Park Lock Systems, and Electro-Mechanical E-axle Disconnects. Transform Products, a manufacturer of sophisticated flow form and roller die stampings, is a company Means acquired nearly 20 years ago and is also celebrating this milestone as part of the Amsted Automotive Group.

Amsted Automotive Group company Burgess-Norton Manufacturing, founded in 1903, will celebrate its 120th anniversary in 2023. This company was initially focused on piston pins before adding powder medal technology in 1954. Burgess-Norton is now the world’s leading producer of piston pins for on and off-road vehicles. Its powder-metal and cold-forming steel technologies make it a formidable ally in many diverse markets that require metal-formed components. Both Means and Burgess-Norton have evolved over the years to adapt to major shifts in the markets they serve.

“Today, Amsted Automotive Group – the combination of Means, Burgess-Norton, Transform Automotive, and the recently added SMW Manufacturing – not only has unique clutch systems technology, but is a powerhouse in net-shape manufacturing with capabilities including flowforming, stamping, roller die drawing, powder metal, cold forming, hot forming, machining, laser welding, and highly automated assembly,” said Jeremy Holt, President of Amsted Automotive Group. “As we celebrate these incredible anniversaries, our award-winning companies will continue forging forward into the future, adapting to the changes in the many markets we serve.”

Amsted Automotive Group’s businesses all offer technologies with unmatched efficiency and performance, and each company’s success within the highly competitive automotive industry is due to unmatched innovation. Solutions are developed and produced by a passionate, agile global team knowledgeable in product, process, and manufacture. Unparalleled customer service is key as well. When SMW Manufacturing Company was added to Amsted Automotive Group in 2021, the expansion of the already remarkable portfolio of capabilities became second to none.

About Amsted Automotive Group

Amsted Automotive Group was formed in 2021 when Amsted Industries merged two of its core Tier 1 automotive supply business units, Means Industries and Burgess-Norton. Amsted Automotive Group quickly found itself at the forefront of cutting-edge EV driveline technology, notably its proprietary DCC Disconnect system. This provides seamless engagement and disengagement of the electric drivetrain while maintaining on-road and off-road performance. Amsted Automotive Group was able to adapt the technology for its OEM and automotive customers, including volume-production electric pickup trucks and SUVs currently on the road. A comprehensive white paper on this Electro-Mechanical E-axle Disconnect solution and its technologies is available at AmstedAuto.com.