{{Short description|British company}} {{Infobox company | name = Dowlais Group Ltd. | logo = Dowlais Group logo.png | logo_size = 200px | type = Private | traded_as = {{LSE was|DWL}} | founded = {{start date and age|2023}} | location = London, England, UK | key_people = Simon Mackenzie Smith<br>(Chairman)<br>Liam Butterworth<br>(CEO) | industry = Automotive<br>Powder metallurgy | successor = Dauch | revenue = {{decrease}} £4,337 million (2024)<ref name=results>{{cite web|url=https://www.dowlais.com/files/investors/Results/2025/RNS-FY-2024-vFinal.pdf|title=Annual Results 2024|publisher=Dowlais Group|access-date=5 March 2025}}</ref> | operating_income = {{increase}} £(106) million (2024)<ref name=results/> | net_income = {{increase}} £(168) million (2024)<ref name=results/> | num_employees = | website = {{URL|https://www.dowlais.com/}} }} '''Dowlais Group Ltd.''' is a British company operating in the automotive and powder metallurgy industries. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index<ref>{{cite web|url=https://research.ftserussell.com/products/index-notices/home/getnotice/?id=2607713 |title=Melrose Industries (UK): Demerger of Dowlais Group (UK): Changes in FTSE UK Index Series|date= 20 April 2023|publisher=FTSE Russell|access-date=20 April 2023}}</ref> until it was acquired by Dauch in February 2026.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dauch-corporation-completes-acquisition-dowlais-120000833.html|title=Dauch Corporation Completes Acquisition of Dowlais Group plc|work=Yahoo! Finance|access-date=2026-02-10|language=en}}</ref>
==History== In April 2023, Melrose Industries completed the demerger of GKN Automotive and GKN Powder Metallurgy from GKN as Dowlais Group.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.investorschronicle.co.uk/news/2023/03/10/melrose-sets-gkn-demerger-in-motion/|title=Melrose sets GKN demerger in motion|date=10 March 2023|newspaper=Investors' Chronicle|access-date=15 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://ukinvestormagazine.co.uk/melrose-set-for-dowlais-demerger/ |title= Melrose set for Dowlais demerger|date=10 April 2023|newspaper=UK Investor Magazine| access-date=15 April 2023}}</ref> This name was chosen with the intention of evoking the Dowlais Ironworks where GKN licensed the Bessemer process, using it to produce steel, in 1865.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Franks|first1= Julian|last2= Mayer|first2= Colin |last3= Rossi|first3= Stefano|title=The Origination and Evolution of Ownership and Control|publisher=London Business School|date=1 December 2002|page=19|url=http://www.rieti.go.jp/en/events/03010801/pdf/Mayer.pdf}}</ref>
GKN Automotive originated from J. W. Garrington, a company specializing in forgings initially produced at the Garrington Darlaston plant and later supplemented by the Bromsgrove plant. This made GKN a major supplier of crankshafts, connecting rods, half-shafts and numerous smaller forged components to the UK auto-industry, which underwent a period of significant expansion over time.<ref name="Motor196905">{{Cite magazine |last=Turner |first=Philip |date=10 May 1969 |title=Making the most of it Or – are you driving a GKN? |magazine=Motor |pages=58–60}}</ref>
Later, a new factory dedicated to the production of wheels was established near Wellington, Shropshire. By the 1960s, the company had become a manufacturer of constant-velocity joints, which are used to transfer the engine's power to the wheels.<ref name=Motor196905/>
In turn, GKN Powder Metallurgy has its origins in Hoeganaes Corporation in North America, which GKN acquired in 1998.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/gkn-pays-pounds-335m-for-us-metal-components-firm-1190071.html |title= GKN pays pounds 335m for US metal components firm|date=8 December 1998|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=15 April 2023}}</ref>
In July 2025, six months after it was announced that American Axle had made a $1.4 billion offer to acquire Dowlais,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-29/american-axle-dowlais-are-in-talks-on-transatlantic-auto-deal|title=UK Car Parts Maker Dowlais Agrees to $1.2 Billion Merger With American Axel|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=29 January 2025|access-date=14 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/us-auto-supplier-american-axle-acquire-uks-dowlais-144-bln-deal-2025-01-29/|title=American Axle to buy GKN automotive owner Dowlais in $1.4 billion deal|date=30 January 2025|newspaper=Reuters|access-date=14 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertolsen-1/2025/01/29/us-auto-parts-maker-american-axle-to-buy-britains-dowlais-for-14-billion/|title=U.S. Auto-Parts Maker American Axle To Buy Britain's Dowlais For $1.4 Billion|date=29 January 2025|newspaper=Forbes|access-date=14 February 2025}}</ref> the transaction was approved by the shareholders of both companies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Recommended cash and share combination of Dowlais Group plc with American Axel & Manufacturing Holdings Inc.|url=https://www.aam.com/media/story/recommended-cash-and-share-combination-of-dowlais-group-plc-with-american-axle-manufacturing-holdings-inc-2025 |access-date=2025-08-02 |website=www.aam.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Recommended Combination with American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. |url=https://www.dowlais.com/investors/recommended-combination-with-american-axle-manufacturing-holdings-inc-/ |access-date=2025-08-02 |website=www.dowlais.com |language=en}}</ref> The deal was completed after the court also approved the transaction on 30 January 2026.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.research-tree.com/newsfeed/article/dowlais-group-plc-court-sanction-of-scheme-of-arrangement-3157092|title=Court sanction of scheme of arrangement|publisher=Dowlais Group|date=30 January 2025|access-date=2 February 2026}}</ref> By March 2026, visitors to the Dowlais website were being redirected to Dauch, the recently renamed American Axle.<ref name="todauch">{{cite web |url=https://www.dowlais.com/ |title=On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Dauch Corporation (formerly American Axle & Manufacturing) acquired Dowlais Group plc and its subsidiaries – GKN Automotive and GKN Powder Metallurgy.|accessdate=20 March 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official site|https://www.dowlais.com/}} Category:Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange Category:Manufacturing companies established in 2023 Category:2023 establishments in England Category:2026 mergers and acquisitions Category:British companies established in 2023 Category:British companies disestablished in 2026 Category:2026 disestablishments in England Category:Manufacturing companies disestablished in 2026