Marmon-Herrington

What Marmon-Herrington does

Marmon-Herrington Co. is a privately held specialty drivetrain manufacturer founded in 1931 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, operating as a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway via the Marmon Group and Marmon Highway Technologies. The company designs and produces all-wheel drive (AWD) axle systems, transfer cases, AWD conversion services for Class 7 and 8 commercial truck chassis, planetary front drive steer axles (MT-22), heavy-haul planetary drive axles (Sisu), and increasingly hydro-mechanical drivetrain products including the HydroMech infinitely variable transmission (iVT) and Variable Power Divider (VPD). Its proprietary Safe Shift system uses CAN bus (J1939) monitoring to prevent shift-on-the-fly damage and is included as standard on all Marmon-Herrington AWD conversions; it is also positioned as a factory option for major truck OEMs.

The company makes money primarily through hardware sales across four streams: OEM drivetrain components supplied directly to truck manufacturers (notably Kenworth T880 AWD 6x6/8x8 platforms and Western Star 4900 XD-25), AWD conversions performed on customer-supplied Class 7/8 chassis, aftermarket parts sold through major OEM dealership networks (Freightliner, Kenworth, Mack, Peterbilt, Western Star) and preferred distributors (Weller Truck Parts, General Truck Parts), and HydroMech transmission/VPD product sales targeting Class 6–8 trucks and specialty applications such as ARFF, street sweeping, agriculture, and defense. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; standard warranty terms are 12 months or 12,000 miles for axle systems and 90 days or 5,000 miles for service parts. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified, with 101–250 employees, and pursues growth through direct enterprise sales to OEMs, channel partnerships for aftermarket parts, and limited industry event presence (e.g., ConExpo) rather than broad digital marketing.

Name

Marmon-Herrington

Legal name

Marmon-Herrington Co.

Website

https://marmon-herrington.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Marmon-Herrington is a Louisville-based drivetrain manufacturer, founded in 1931 and owned by Berkshire Hathaway's Marmon Group, supplying all-wheel drive conversions, axles, transfer cases, and hydro-mechanical transmissions to commercial truck OEMs and specialty vehicle markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Vehicle Drivetrain Components

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Steering and Suspension Components (except Spring) Manufacturing (336330), Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612), Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632)

SIC

Wholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts (5013), Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment (3790)

akta.pro primary industry

Truck Chassis, Axle, Suspension & Brake Systems Manufacturing (IMACABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Axle, Differential & Final Drive Manufacturing (Front/Rear/E-axle housings) (IMACAHAG), Steering Systems & Components (Columns/Racks/EPS Pumps & Motors) (IMACAIAB)

Keywords

• All-wheel drive axles
• Commercial truck drivetrains
• AWD conversions
• Transfer cases
• Hydromechanical transmissions

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. OEM Axle Systems: Sale of drive axles, transfer cases, and drivetrain components to truck manufacturers for original installation
2. AWD Conversions: Conversion of commercial truck chassis to all-wheel drive configurations for Class 7 and 8 trucks
3. Aftermarket Parts: Replacement parts and service parts for existing installations, available through dealerships and preferred distributors
4. HydroMech Transmissions: Sale of hydro-mechanical transmissions and Variable Power Divider (VPD) products

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Marmon-Herrington manufactures and supplies all-wheel drive axles, transfer cases, hydromechanical transmissions, and complete AWD conversion systems for Class 7 and 8 commercial trucks and specialty vehicles. The company also distributes SISU heavy-haul planetary drive axles and the Safe Shift electronic AWD protection system for OEM truck manufacturers, fleets, and specialty applications including military, forestry, mining, construction, ARFF, and agriculture.

Product overview

Marmon-Herrington is a drivetrain technology company offering a comprehensive portfolio of products for commercial trucks and specialty vehicles. The core portfolio centers on all-wheel drive (AWD) conversions for class 7 and 8 trucks, supplemented by proprietary drivetrain components including the Safe Shift electronic AWD protection system (CAN bus monitoring system that prevents shift-on-the-fly failures), HydroMech infinitely variable transmission (hydro-mechanical technology combining hydrostatic and mechanical drive), Variable Power Divider (VPD single-engine power-split solution), MT-22 planetary front drive steer axles (22,000 lb GAWR), SISU heavy-haul planetary drive axles, and MVG transfer case series. The company provides complete solutions including installation kits, parts, service manuals, and warranty support for military, forestry, mining, construction, and other vocational truck applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HydroMech: Hydro-mechanical transmission product line combining hydrostatic and mechanical technologies. Includes Infinitely Variable Transmission (iVT) and Variable Power Divider (VPD) products for class 6 through 8 trucks.
• Safe Shift

Products and services

• AWD Conversions Complete all-wheel drive conversion solutions for commercial trucks (class 7 and 8) that install proprietary sub-frames, step-frames, and front suspension configurations on truck chassis. Available for class 7 and 8 trucks with 14-22k front axle weight ratings.
• Safe Shift AWD Protection System Proprietary electronic control system using CAN bus (J1939) monitoring to actuate, protect, and monitor mechanical AWD systems. Prevents damage from improper shift-on-the-fly operations through continuous vehicle condition monitoring and operator control prevention, with LCD driver interface.
• HydroMech Transmission (iVT) Hydro-mechanical infinitely variable transmission (iVT) combining hydrostatic and mechanical technologies. Uses patented high-torque planetary design with closed loop hydrostatic variator to keep vehicle in optimal gear for peak operating efficiency, decoupling vehicle speed from engine speed. Reduces fuel consumption over 15% in start-stop applications.
• Variable Power Divider (VPD) Hydrostatic variator-based system that divides the main engine's power into propulsion and auxiliary outputs, eliminating the need for a separate auxiliary diesel engine. Enables single-engine solutions for class 6-8 trucks in applications requiring power-take-off functionality such as ARFF, street sweeping, agriculture, and defense.
• MT-22 Front Drive Steer Axle Industry-leading 22,000 lb GAWR planetary front drive steer axle with high torque and high speed capabilities. Features 5G high dynamic shock load capability for demanding vocational truck applications including AWD 6x6 and 8x8 configurations.
• SISU Heavy-Haul Planetary Drive Axles Heavy-haul planetary drive axles from Finnish manufacturer Sisu, distributed by Marmon-Herrington for North American market. Includes tandem axle sets (up to 90,000 lbs rated) and tridem axle sets (up to 136,000 lbs rated) with GCWR ratings up to 600,000 lbs.
• MVG Transfer Cases Full line of transfer cases for commercial truck applications, ranging from 750 to 2001 model variants (MVG-750, MVG-754, MVG-1150, MVG-1200, MVG-1600, MVG-1650, MVG-2000, MVG-2001). Provides power distribution between front and rear axles in 4WD and AWD configurations.
• Aftermarket Parts Kits Aftermarket replacement parts and kits for Marmon-Herrington drivetrain components including axles, transfer cases, and transmissions. Distributed through dealership networks (Freightliner, Kenworth, Mack, Peterbilt, Western Star) and preferred distributors (Weller Truck Parts, General Truck Parts).

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces wasted fuel consumption over 15% compared to torque converter transmissions in start-stop applications
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KenworthcoreTechnology or IntegrationMarmon-Herrington supplies MT-22 front drive steer axle for Kenworth T880 AWD 6x6 and 8x8 configurations. Published GAWR for the MT-22 is 22,000 lbs.
• Western StarcoreTechnology or IntegrationMarmon-Herrington supplies Sisu axles for Western Star 4900 XD-25 model, described as a 'Productivity Machine' with maximum durability and reliability.
• Sisu AxlescoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Sisu Axles for distribution of heavy-duty planetary drive axles including tandem and tridem axle sets for North American truck market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BorgWarner:
• Eaton Corporation: Eaton manufactures vehicle transmissions, clutches, and drivetrain components for commercial vehicles globally. Competes with Marmon-Herrington in transmission technology (Eaton automated manual transmissions vs HydroMech) and serves similar commercial truck OEM customers.
• ZF Friedrichshafen: ZF is a global technology company supplying driveline and chassis technology, including transmissions, axles, and steering systems for commercial vehicles. Broad incumbent competing across multiple Marmon-Herrington product lines including transmissions (HydroMech vs ZF TraXon) and driveline components.

Direct peers

• Dana Incorporated: Dana is a leading global supplier of drivetrain and propulsion systems for commercial vehicles, including axles, driveshafts, and sealing products. Direct competitor to Marmon-Herrington in heavy-duty truck axles, AWD systems, and drivetrain components, serving many of the same OEM customers including PACCAR-owned brands.
• Meritor (Cummins): Meritor, now part of Cummins, manufactures axles, brakes, drivelines, and aftermarket parts for commercial trucks and specialty vehicles. Direct competitor in heavy-duty planetary axles and drivetrain systems, particularly competing in heavy-haul and vocational truck segments where Marmon-Herrington's Sisu axles operate.
• Allison Transmission: Allison is a leading manufacturer of commercial-duty fully automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems for Class 6-8 trucks, buses, and specialty vehicles. Directly competes with Marmon-Herrington's HydroMech transmission offering in commercial vehicle applications requiring advanced transmission technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marmon-Herrington