Schaeffler Group USA Inc. · USA

1942

U.S. Government founds operation to produce bearings for the Norden bombsight.

1945

A partnership between Theodore Barth and Carl Norden purchased the company in 1945 and the name Barden was adopted.

1958

Barden moves to its current location in Danbury, Connecticut after original plant floods in 1955 and again in 1958.

1964

INA begins its U.S. operations in a joint venture WITH Fafnir Bearing Co.

1967

Dr. Georg Schaeffer announced that FAG had purchased the Norma Hoffman Bearing Corporation of Stamford, CT. Shortly after, the plant was closed, but executive offices for US operations remained.

1969

Joplin, Missouri, became the subsidiary’s production site with a 240,000 square foot building; the first FAG plant in the U.S.

1969

INA buys out Textron, new owner of Fafnir Bearing Company. INA Bearing Company becomes incorporated.

1977

A joint venture between LuK, GmbH and Modern Tool and Die Company results in the construction of LuK, Inc. in Wooster. The initial facility had 27,000 sq. ft. and 6 employees. The first clutches are assembled from German components and shipped and installed into America’s first FWD compact cars, the Plymouth Horizon and the Dodge Omni.

1978

LuK ships the 11-inch clutch for the Ford F-Series pickup, which is the first clutch to be designed, developed and manufactured in Wooster. LuK begins to build clutches for the Ford Granada, Mustang and Pinto.

1979

LuK expands for the first time with the construction of the heat treat and stamping addition. This addition adds over 50% to LuK's plant size.