Borg Warner Incorporated

Borg Warner is a manufacturer of products and technologies for powertrain components. The company's Engine Group "develops strategies and products to manage engines for fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and enhanced performance" while their Drivetrain Group "develops interactive control systems and strategies for Borg Warner's traditional mechanical products."

History of Borg Warner

The Borg Warner Company was formed in 1928, the result of a merger by Warner Gear (founded in 1901) and Borg and Beck (founded in 1904) as well as Marvel-Schebler and Mechanics Universal Joint. Warner Gear was the manufacturer of the first manual transmission in 1909. Through the decades, the company introduced many new automotive products including transfer cases, the Sprag Clutch, paper-based wet friction materials, aluminum automatic transmissions, advanced 5-speed manual transmissions, and much more.

In 1987, according to the company Web site, Borg-Warner Corporation went through a leveraged buy-out and, due to a series of complex transactions, ceased to exist. Borg Warner Automotive Inc. was subsequently created as a subsidiary of a new corporation named Borg Warner Corporation (later known as Borg Warner Security Corporation). In 1993, the automotive division was spun off from Borg Warner Security Corporation and became an independent company. The company continued to grow into the new millennium.

Borg Warner and Asbestos

In the first three quarters of the 20th century, myriad automotive products contained asbestos. Asbestos was a useful component in auto products, particularly friction components like clutches and brake pads, due to its excellent heat and fire resistant properties and its durability. Until the late 1970s, Borg Warner employees as well as auto mechanics and others who worked with these products, were subject to asbestos exposure on a regular basis. It was not unusual for asbestos fibers to be inhaled by these workers, resulting in the eventual development of serious pulmonary diseases like the cancer mesothelioma.

Through the years, the asbestos-related lawsuits began to pile up against Borg Warner. At of the end of 2006, the company reported that about 45,000 suits remained unsettled. Borg Warner, however, has not sought bankruptcy protection as have many friction product companies in the same predicament. The company continues to litigate asbestos personal injury and wrongful death claims.

If you worked for Borg Warner or worked with any of the company's asbestos products and have developed an asbestos-related disease as a result, more information is available by filling out the form on this page to receive a comprehensive packet in the mail.