Production Milestone: 40 Million Torque Converters at Wooster Plant

2025-10-20 | Wooster, O.H.

• Wooster plant hits 40 million torque converters – a legacy of innovation since 1997
• To date, Schaeffler has produced more than 63 million torque converters globally, with nearly two-thirds of them made in Wooster
• The location continues to evolve with advanced manufacturing and new technology

Schaeffler, the Motion Technology Company, announces our Wooster plant is celebrating a monumental production milestone with 40 million torque converters produced and sold out of the location. The plant has been the foundation of Schaeffler’s torque converter business since it began producing them in 1997 and makes just over two million each year.

The production of torque converters starts at the back of the plant where received steel is directly processed through stamping presses and continues with a linear flow of material throughout blade assembly, brazing, machining, bonding, and final assembly.

With a strategic focus on automation, the plant’s emphasis on integrating technology into the manufacturing process has resulted in excellent efficiency and improved quality. This has specifically been the case with blade loading automation. The blades in a torque converter are critical for transferring and multiplying torque between the engine and transmission. Their shape and orientation directly affect fluid dynamics, torque ratio, and overall converter efficiency. While there are still many dedicated employees manually assembling the blades, automating the design process helps reduce design cycle time, minimize hardware iterations, and optimize performance metrics like torque output and flow efficiency.

“The 40 millionth torque converter from the Wooster facility is a true milestone to the commitment of our team and the continuous pursuit of pioneering the best product on the market,” says Brian Zaugg, president Business Unit Torque Converters. “We are confident in finding solutions when we rely on each other's strengths. We innovate not only in our patented and state-of-the-art designs, but also in our manufacturing process and digitalization. Our teams on the shop floor and in the office are dedicated to creating and building the future with the next generation of torque converters; specifically in the growing field of torque converter-based P2 hybrid systems. Bottom line, we could not have reached this point without the amazing employees who have helped us every step of the way.”