History

For almost 50 years now, our name stands for future-oriented charging systems. With our ideas we have always set new milestones in the turbocharger development. These successes are also reflected in the development of our company.

1899

  • Establishment of the joint-stock company of Kühnle, Kopp & Kausch in Frankenthal, Germany

1918 1918

  • Founding of Schwitzer Company in Indianapolis/USA

1928

  • The first supercharger from Schwitzer

1949

  • Schwitzer markets its vibration dampers

1952 1952

  • Turbocharger development and production start at AG Kühnle, Kopp & Kausch
  • The first Schwitzer turbocharger is used in a Cummins Diesel Racer

1954

  • Production of the first Schwitzer turbocharger for Caterpillar begins

1960

  • Production of turbochargers begins in Kirchheimbolanden, Germany

1962 1962

  • Collaboration between Schwitzer (U.S.), AG Kühnle, Kopp & Kausch (Germany) and Holset (U.K.)

1972

  • AG Kühnle, Kopp & Kausch takes over Eberspächer’s turbocharger line
  • Development of the K series of turbochargers

1975

  • Start of production in Bradford, U.K. and Campinas, Brazil

1978

  • Start of production at the new site in Bradford, U.K.

1979 - 1981 1979 - 1981

  • Gradual expansion of the production capacity in Kirchheimbolanden to 300,000 turbochargers a year

1980

  • Expansion of production at the Bradford, U.K. facility
  • Start of production at the new manufacturing site in Asheville, North Carolina

1985

  • Expansion of the production capacity of the Bradford, U.K. facility

1986 - 1990 1986 - 1990

  • Gradual expansion of the production capacity in Kirchheimbolanden to 600,000 turbochargers a year

1992 1992

  • Market launch of the new K0 series for passenger cars

1994 1994

  • Market launch of the new S-100 series

1997

  • BorgWarner Automotive, the world’s leading automotive supplier, acquires a majority stake in AG Kühnle, Kopp & Kausch
  • Extension of the capacity of the Kirchheimbolanden plant to one million turbochargers a year

1998

  • Extension of the production capacity of the Kirchheimbolanden facility to 1.5 million turbochargers a year
  • Production of the 10 millionth turbocharger in the history of AG Kühnle, Kopp & Kausch
  • Founding of 3K-Warner Turbosystems GmbH as a BorgWarner subsidiary, after the acquisition of the supercharging systems division of AG Kühnle, Kopp & Kausch

1999

  • Takeover of Schwitzer by BorgWarner and integration of it in BorgWarner Turbo Systems along with 3K-Warner
  • Inauguration of the new office building in Kirchheimbolanden, thus taking the first step toward concentrating 3K-Warner at the Kirchheimbolanden site
  • Start of construction of the world turbocharger development center of BorgWarner Turbo Systems in Kirchheimbolanden

2000 2000

  • The development center in Kirchheimbolanden begins operating
  • The headquarters of BorgWarner Turbo Systems is moved to Kirchheimbolanden
  • Market launch of the new KP series, including the smallest turbocharger for passenger car diesel engines, the KP31
  • Start of production of passenger car turbochargers with variable turbine geometry (VTG)

2001

  • Establishment of a turbocharger assembly facility in Oroszlany, Hungary
  • Construction of a development center for the North American market in Asheville

2002

  • Opening of a central spare part logistics center in Europe
  • Series production of turbochargers with variable turbine geometry for commercial vehicles
  • Market introduction of R2S™ technology for marine motors
  • Production start for compressors made of titanium

2003 2003

  • New BV generation with variable turbine geometry for passenger cars is put into series production by BorgWarner
  • First BV turbocharger with electric blade adjustment goes into series production
  • 3K-Warner Turbosystems GmbH undergoes a name change and is now called BorgWarner Turbo Systems GmbH

2004 2004 2004

  • First VTG turbocharger with electric blade adjustment for commercial vehicles is put into series production by BorgWarner
  • First serial usage of regulated 2-stage supercharging (R2S) on a passenger car diesel motor
  • Founding of the joint venture Seohan Warner Turbo Systems in Korea
  • Expansion of the Development Center in Kirchheimbolanden, Germany

2005

  • Series production launch of the BV35, the smallest member of the VTG turbocharger family by BorgWarner
  • Regulated 2-stage supercharging (R2S) for the medium commercial vehicle segment goes into series production
  • Opening of production site in Pyongteak (Korea)

2007 2007

  • BorgWarner wins an Automotive News PACE Innovation Award and a PACE Collaboration Award for its VTG turbocharger for gasoline engines

2008 2008

  • Expansion of the Oroszlany (Hungary) facility to meet customer demands
  • BorgWarner opens a new turbocharger facility in Rzeszow (Poland)
  • BorgWarner wins two Automotive News PACE awards for innovation and environmental sustainability for its regulated 2-stage turbocharging system (R2S™)

2009 2009

  • BorgWarner launches first regulated 2-stage turbocharging system (R2S™) with variable turbine geometry (VTG) for a passenger car diesel engine

2010 2010 2010

  • BorgWarner supplies first turbocharger with integrated exhaust manifold made of sheet metal for gasoline engines
  • BorgWarner opens new production facility in Ramos Arizpe (Mexico) to meet growing demand of the North American market