Nexteer Automotive
Global automotive motion-control and steering-systems supplier
Last updated October 17, 2026
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Overview
Nexteer Automotive is an automotive technology and component supplier headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The company develops and manufactures motion-control systems for original equipment manufacturers, with its strongest activities in steering, steering electronics, driveline components and technologies that support assisted and automated driving. Its portfolio includes electric and hydraulic power-steering systems, steer-by-wire technologies, steering columns, intermediate shafts, front- and rear-wheel-drive halfshafts, propeller-shaft joints and related software and electronics. The company’s industrial heritage reaches back to 1906, when Jackson, Wilcox and Church was established in Saginaw, Michigan. Its early product was the Jacox gear. Buick acquired the operation in 1909, after which it became part of General Motors and passed through several organizational identities, including the Jackson, Church and Wilcox Division, Saginaw Product Company, Saginaw Steering Gear Division and Saginaw Division. The Saginaw name became associated with steering gears, columns and driveline components supplied to the automotive industry for much of the twentieth century. The business later became part of General Motors’ components organization and was incorporated into Delphi Automotive Systems in the 1990s. Following Delphi’s separation from General Motors and subsequent financial difficulties, GM reacquired Delphi Steering in 2009 through GM Global Steering Holdings LLC. GM renamed the operation Nexteer Automotive and prepared it for operation as a supplier serving multiple vehicle manufacturers rather than only GM. The business was sold to Pacific Century Motors in November 2010. Nexteer subsequently pursued an initial public offering in Hong Kong, which was delayed from June to October 2013. Nexteer serves a broad OEM customer base that includes major international automakers such as BMW, Ford, General Motors, Toyota and Volkswagen, as well as vehicle manufacturers in China, India and South America. Its activities are organized around the shift from traditional hydraulic systems to electric power steering, electronically controlled steering, software-driven motion control and technologies supporting higher levels of vehicle automation. The company reports a global footprint that includes 26 manufacturing plants, four technical and software centers and 13 customer service centers across multiple regions. Its technology history includes hydraulic power assistance, tilt-wheel and energy-absorbing steering columns, rack-and-pinion systems, variable-assist steering, electric power steering, torque-overlay technology and steer-by-wire concepts. Nexteer states that more than 70 million of its electric power-steering units have been placed on vehicles since its EPS business launched. The company has also participated in joint ventures and product programs for automated-driving and electric driveline technologies, although some of those arrangements and product activities were later discontinued. Nexteer remains an independent, publicly listed automotive supplier focused primarily on steering and driveline motion-control systems.
History
Nexteer Automotive’s history combines the development of a long-established Saginaw steering operation with the restructuring of the modern automotive-supplier industry. Its earliest predecessor, Jackson, Wilcox and Church, was founded in Saginaw, Michigan, in 1906. The company developed the Jacox gear, an early automotive steering product. Buick acquired the operation in 1909 and transferred it into the General Motors organization, where it became known as the Jackson, Church and Wilcox Division. The operation was renamed Saginaw Product Company in 1919 and Saginaw Steering Gear Division in 1928. In 1930, the Jacox trade name was replaced by Saginaw. During the following decades, the Saginaw business expanded beyond basic steering gears into steering columns, driveline components and other vehicle-control products. Its technology development included hydraulic power assistance, tilt-wheel columns, energy-absorbing columns, rack-and-pinion steering, front-wheel-drive halfshafts and other components that became standard across mass-produced vehicles. In 1985, the unit became the Saginaw Division. GM later combined it with other component operations in its Automotive Components Group. That organization was reorganized into Delphi Automotive Systems in 1995, and Delphi became an independent company in 1999. The Saginaw operation was then known as Delphi Steering. Delphi’s prolonged bankruptcy and restructuring led General Motors to reacquire the steering business in 2009 through GM Global Steering Holdings LLC. GM renamed the business Nexteer Automotive and sought to make it more suitable for sale as a supplier serving several vehicle manufacturers. Labor-contract changes were negotiated during this transition. Michigan authorities approved a ten-year state tax credit reported at approximately $70.7 million, while local authorities offered a long-term property-tax abatement. Nexteer also announced an investment program reported at approximately $400 million and plans to maintain its Michigan presence. Pacific Century Motors acquired Nexteer on November 29, 2010. After the acquisition, the business was divided into two separate companies. Nexteer later pursued a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Its proposed June 2013 offering was delayed, and the company went public in October 2013 under stock code 1316. In 2015, Nexteer moved its headquarters to Auburn Hills, Michigan. Technologically, the company moved from mechanically and hydraulically assisted steering toward electronic and software-controlled systems. Nexteer identifies 1995 as an early milestone for speed-variable assist and electric power steering, followed by single-pinion electric power steering in 2009, 12-volt electric power-steering systems in 2010, and rack electric power steering for full-size trucks in 2011. The company introduced magnetic torque-overlay technology in 2013 and later presented an advanced steering technology suite that included steer-by-wire. Nexteer also explored adjacent motion-control and automated-driving technologies. CNXMotion, a joint venture with Continental established in 2017, addressed vehicle motion-control and automated-driving applications. The joint venture was dissolved in 2023. A Dongfeng Nexteer joint venture was also dissolved in 2022, and the company discontinued its eDrive product line in 2023. Nexteer’s continuing business is centered on steering systems, steering components, driveline products and software or electronics that enable assisted and automated vehicle functions.
- 2023
CNXMotion and eDrive activities discontinued
[1]The CNXMotion joint venture was dissolved and Nexteer ended its eDrive product line.
- 2022
Dongfeng Nexteer joint venture dissolved
[1]The Dongfeng Nexteer joint venture was dissolved.
- 2017
CNXMotion established
[1]Nexteer and Continental formed CNXMotion as a joint venture focused on motion-control and automated-driving technologies.
- 2015
Global headquarters moved to Auburn Hills
[1]Nexteer relocated its global headquarters within Michigan to Auburn Hills.
- 2013
Hong Kong Stock Exchange listing
[1]Nexteer completed its delayed initial public offering in Hong Kong.
- 2010
Acquired by Pacific Century Motors
[1]Pacific Century Motors completed the acquisition of Nexteer.
- 2009
Nexteer Automotive created
[1]GM reacquired Delphi Steering and renamed the operation Nexteer Automotive.
- 1995
Became part of Delphi Automotive Systems
[1]GM’s component activities were reorganized into Delphi Automotive Systems, and the steering operation moved into that structure.
- 1928
Saginaw Steering Gear Division established
[1]The business became the Saginaw Steering Gear Division within the GM organization.
- 1919
Renamed Saginaw Product Company
[1]The operation adopted the Saginaw Product Company name.
Products and positioning
A global Tier 1 automotive supplier specializing in steering, driveline and software-enabled motion-control technologies for vehicle manufacturers.
Steering systems · 1995
Electric power steering
Nexteer develops electric power-steering systems that use electronic control rather than relying solely on hydraulic assistance. The systems can support variable steering assistance, improved energy efficiency and integration with driver-assistance functions. The company identifies electric power steering as a central part of its product portfolio and states that more than 70 million of its EPS units have been placed on vehicles since 1999.
Steering systems · 1951
Hydraulic power steering
Hydraulic power-steering systems represent an established part of Nexteer’s steering business. They provide assisted steering through hydraulic pressure and remain relevant in vehicle programs where conventional architecture, performance requirements or platform design favor hydraulic assistance.
Advanced steering technology · 2018
Steer-by-wire
Steer-by-wire technology replaces or reduces the need for a direct mechanical connection between steering inputs and the road wheels by using electronic sensing, control and actuation. Nexteer included steer-by-wire in its advanced steering technology suite as part of its work on software-enabled vehicle motion control and higher levels of driving automation.
Steering components · 1960
Steering columns
The company supplies steering columns and associated mechanisms, including products derived from its long-running Saginaw engineering heritage. Its historical column development included tilt-wheel, airbag-compatible and energy-absorbing designs, while current products can include electronically controlled adjustment and related modules.
Steering components
Intermediate shafts
Intermediate shafts connect steering-column assemblies with steering gears or racks and are designed to transmit driver steering input while accommodating packaging, alignment and crash-performance requirements. Nexteer lists intermediate shafts among its steering-component offerings.
Driveline products · 1960
Driveline systems
Nexteer’s driveline portfolio includes front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive halfshafts, intermediate drive shafts, propeller-shaft joints and related advanced technologies. These components transmit torque from the vehicle powertrain to the wheels and are supplied for a range of passenger-vehicle and commercial-vehicle architectures.
Automotive electronics
Steering electronics, modules and sub-assemblies
These products provide electronic control, sensing and integration for Nexteer steering systems. They support functions such as electric assistance, torque overlay, variable steering behavior and the connection of steering hardware with vehicle-control software.
Brand decisions
2023
Exited selected adjacent activitiesStrategyBackground
Nexteer reviewed its portfolio of adjacent motion-control and electrification activities.
Action taken
The company dissolved CNXMotion and discontinued its eDrive product line.
Aftermath
The change concentrated the disclosed business more strongly on steering, driveline and related motion-control technologies.
2017
Formation of CNXMotionM&ABackground
Vehicle manufacturers were developing increasingly integrated driver-assistance and automated-driving systems requiring coordinated control of steering and other vehicle-motion functions.
Action taken
Nexteer formed CNXMotion with Continental to pursue motion-control and automated-driving technologies.
Aftermath
The joint venture was later dissolved in 2023.
2013
Hong Kong initial public offeringM&ABackground
Nexteer sought a public-market listing after its acquisition by Pacific Century Motors.
Action taken
The planned June offering was delayed, and the company completed its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in October.
Aftermath
Nexteer became a publicly traded company under stock code 1316.
2010
Sale to Pacific Century MotorsM&ABackground
GM had created Nexteer during the restructuring of its former Delphi steering operation.
Action taken
Pacific Century Motors acquired Nexteer on November 29, 2010, after which the business was separated into two companies.
Aftermath
Nexteer continued as an independently owned automotive supplier and later became publicly traded in Hong Kong.
2009
Prepared the steering business for separation from GMStrategyBackground
After General Motors reacquired Delphi Steering during Delphi’s restructuring, the operation needed to function as a supplier with customers beyond GM.
Action taken
GM renamed the business Nexteer Automotive, pursued labor-contract changes and announced investment and site-retention plans.
Aftermath
The business was subsequently sold to Pacific Century Motors in 2010 and developed as an independent automotive supplier.
Announced investment. Approximately $400 million planned investment (2009 announcement)
Recent events
Reported
Nexteer reports first-half 2021 financial results[3]
Nexteer Automotive reported financial results for the first half of 2021, including revenue of US$1.734 billion and profit attributable to equity holders of US$83.1 million.
Reported
Burgess-Norton earns Nexteer Automotive 2020 Perfect Quality Award[4]
Burgess-Norton earned Nexteer Automotive's 2020 Perfect Quality Award, which recognizes companies achieving zero quality claims across all product groups. Its Beaver Dam facility received the award for its quality and delivery performance during calendar year 2020.
- Unconfirmed
Nexteer opens plant in Morocco[5]
Nexteer opened a steering systems plant in Morocco.
Sources5 sources
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