What Neapco makes

Neapco is a driveline specialist. It designs, manufactures, and distributes propshafts and driveshafts, halfshafts and sideshafts, constant-velocity joints, differentials, and aluminum die castings for OEMs and driveline customers. The products go into light vehicles, commercial and heavy trucks, buses, off-highway and off-road equipment, agricultural machinery, and industrial applications, plus an aftermarket line for service parts.

On the propshaft side, Neapco builds single-piece, two-, three-, and four-piece designs in steel, aluminum, and metal-matrix or carbon-fiber composites, including a patented slip-in-tube design and lightweight tubular front propshafts. On the halfshaft side, its 4EVer product line covers front-, rear-, and all-wheel-drive architectures with a stated annual production capacity of about 6 million units, torque capacity from 900 to 6,300 Nm, and articulation angles up to 52 degrees. The CV-joint range spans Rzeppa, undercut-free, high-angle, tripod, cross-groove, and double-offset joints, and Neapco is developing driveline solutions for electrified powertrains. The company runs its own light-metal die-casting foundry in Praszka, Poland.

Neapco positions itself as a supplier for both high-volume OEM programs and short-run custom and standard configurations, backed by an in-house engineering staff and lean manufacturing processes. Buyers weighing driveline sourcing often compare it against Tier 1 drivetrain peers on capacity, program flexibility, and quality-system coverage.

Ownership and history

Neapco was founded in 1921 as the New England Auto Products Corporation. The Neapco name was adopted in 1924 when universal-joint manufacturing moved to Pottstown, Pennsylvania. The company opened a facility in Beatrice, Nebraska in 1981, and was acquired by The Carlyle Group in 2003.

In 2006, Neapco management and China's Wanxiang Group purchased the company, forming Neapco LLC, and Wanxiang has been the owner since. Independent coverage at the time, including Bloomberg and Xinhua, described Neapco as a unit of the Chinese automotive supplier Wanxiang Group. In 2008 Neapco acquired Visteon's driveshaft manufacturing business, a step the trade press said moved it into Tier 1 status, and in 2010 it acquired tedrive's operations in Düren, Germany and Praszka, Poland. It expanded into China with an Asia office in Shanghai in 2011 and production plants in Chongqing and elsewhere, added a Saltillo, Mexico plant in 2016, and opened its global headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan in 2017. In December 2025, Neapco acquired the IFA Group, a German drive-shaft manufacturer, from the industrial group AEQUITA.

Locations

Neapco reports over 3,200 employees across roughly 11 manufacturing and distribution sites in North America, Europe, and Asia. In the United States it runs Neapco Drivelines in Belleville, Michigan and Neapco Components in Beatrice, Nebraska, with a distribution center in Greer, South Carolina and global headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan. In Europe it operates Neapco Europe in Germany, a plant and light-metal foundry in Praszka, Poland, an engineering office in Gliwice, Poland, and a plant in Eskişehir, Turkey. In Asia its Shanghai office anchors plants in Chongqing, Hangzhou, and Wuhu, China that operate under the Qianchao name within the Wanxiang group.

Certifications and quality

Neapco lists automotive quality and management certifications by site. IATF 16949, the automotive quality-management standard, is claimed across most of its manufacturing plants. Environmental (ISO 14001), occupational health and safety (ISO 45001), energy management (ISO 50001), and automotive information-security (TISAX) certifications are claimed at various European, North American, and Asian sites, with ISO 9001 at several. The company describes an APQP-driven quality process and continuous-improvement tools such as 8D and PDCA. Certificate dates are not published on the site, so these are reported as company claims.

Known customers

Neapco's OEM customer list is largely unnamed, as is normal for a driveline supplier, but several relationships are on the public record through supplier-award programs and company press:

Neapco also displays GM, Ford, and BMW marks among customer references on its own website.

Recent news

December 2025. Neapco acquired the IFA Group, a German drive-shaft manufacturer, from the Munich-based industrial group AEQUITA, expanding its driveline manufacturing footprint in Germany (per IFA Group and AEQUITA announcements).

September 2025. A US court raised American Axle's patent-infringement award against Neapco to about $5.2 million in the long-running dispute over propshaft manufacturing methods (per Bloomberg Law).

April 2024. General Motors named Neapco a Top Global Supplier for 2023 at its annual supplier-of-the-year event (per company and trade-press coverage).

Frequently asked questions

What does Neapco make?

Neapco designs and manufactures driveline products: propshafts and driveshafts, halfshafts and sideshafts, constant-velocity joints, differentials, and aluminum die castings. These go into light vehicles, commercial and heavy trucks, off-highway and agricultural equipment, and industrial applications, along with an aftermarket parts line.

Who owns Neapco?

Neapco has been owned by China's Wanxiang Group since 2006, when Neapco management and Wanxiang purchased the company to form Neapco LLC. It was founded in 1921 and was owned by The Carlyle Group from 2003 to 2006. Its Chinese plants operate under the Qianchao name within the Wanxiang group.

Where is Neapco headquartered?

Neapco's global headquarters is at 38900 Hills Tech Drive, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48331, opened in 2017. The company operates roughly 11 manufacturing and distribution sites across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Who are Neapco's customers?

Most of Neapco's OEM customers are unnamed, but documented relationships include General Motors, which named Neapco a Top Global Supplier for 2023, and Ford, which recognized Neapco at its 2018 World Excellence Awards. Neapco also supplies rear halfshafts for Yamaha Golf-Cars.

How many employees does Neapco have?

Neapco reports over 3,200 employees across roughly 11 manufacturing and distribution sites worldwide. Databases that model headcount from professional-network profiles run somewhat lower and tend to undercount plant workforces.

What certifications does Neapco hold?

Neapco claims IATF 16949 automotive quality certification across most of its plants, along with ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 50001, and TISAX at various sites and ISO 9001 at several. Certificate dates are not published on its site, so these are reported as company claims.

Last verified September 28, 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.