Kenworth assembly plants in Ohio and Washington received 2021 Manufacturing Leadership Awards in Engineering & Production Technology, Bulk Transporter reports. The awards were presented by the Manufacturing Leadership Council of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).

Kenworth’s plant in Chillicothe, OH, was honored for its Tension Control Tooling Improvement project. The plant’s project team upgraded the torque fastener tool to enhance efficiency for fifth-wheel installations in Kenworth Class 8 trucks. 

“The Kenworth Chillicothe project partnered with Atlas Copco to develop a Direct Current (DC) electric tension control fastener that is reportedly the first of its kind in the fastener industry,” according to the Bulk Transporter. “The DC electric tension control fastener is more robust and streamlines manufacturing. The new tooling technologies used in this fastener are expected to be utilized at all Kenworth assembly plants.”

Kenworth’s plant in Renton, WA, was recognized for its Sealed Beam Headlamp Aimer project that customized tooling to improve the installation of headlamps in Kenworth legacy models.

Kenworth’s plants in Chillicothe and Renton both have earned International Standards Organization (ISO) 14001:2015 certification for effective environmental management systems established to help build Class 8 trucks in an environmentally sustainable manner.