Tenneco's History

Tenneco’s history as a stand-alone entity began in 1999, when the current company emerged from a conglomerate formerly consisting of six businesses -- shipbuilding, packaging, farm and construction equipment, gas transmission, automotive and chemicals. Through various public offerings, sales, spin-offs and mergers beginning in the 1980s, the company divested all of its businesses, leaving Tenneco Automotive as the remaining part of the original company. The automotive entities that remained, including a strong original equipment business and legendary aftermarket brands like Monroe and Walker, each with historic roots reaching back more than 100 years, showcase a rich history that helps define Tenneco today. 

In 2005, the company rebranded its name to Tenneco, to better represent the expanding number of markets it served.  

To support the growth of light vehicle production as well as the company’s new market segments, Tenneco significantly expanded its global footprint during the early part of the 21st century, becoming one of the first automotive suppliers to establish operations in China. 

At the same time, Tenneco significantly enhanced its engineering and manufacturing operations throughout the world, becoming a leader in developing clean air solutions to help its customers meet stringent emissions control regulations throughout the world. Tenneco was one of the first companies to commercialize diesel particulate filters (DPFs) in Europe in 2000, and today continues to lead the industry with important aftertreatment technologies for gasoline and diesel engines including selective catalytic reduction, advanced mixing technologies, gasoline particulate filters and hot and cold-end exhaust systems. 

The company’s advances in ride performance technology helped deliver comfort, performance and control to differentiate its customers’ vehicles and its Monroe Intelligent Suspension portfolio of advanced electronic suspension technologies includes both adaptive and semi-active suspension systems. The company’s suite of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) products has also experienced significant growth globally in both the light and commercial vehicle markets.

After nearly two decades of growth, driven primarily by product and geographic expansion, Tenneco completed two acquisitions, helping position the company for a future of continued success.

The first came on October 1, 2018, when Tenneco acquired Federal-Mogul, a fellow automotive supplier whose roots date back to 1899, when, as the Muzzy-Lyon Company, the F-M predecessor began selling mill supplies and rubber goods along with a subsidiary called the Mogul Metal Company.

The acquisition of Federal-Mogul doubled the size of Tenneco – and allowed the company to add more than 25 aftermarket brands and a strong OE powertrain business to its portfolio.

Further, in January 2019, Tenneco acquired Öhlins Racing, a Swedish company with a more than 40-year record of excellence in developing advanced suspension systems – which now spans the automotive, motorcycle, mountain bike and motorsport industries, and is known for its innovation and close ties to the racing industry.

The relationship between Tenneco and Öhlins actually began in 1998 when the two companies began working together to develop electronic valve technology for automotive applications. In 2003, Tenneco and Öhlins jointly launched the first CES shock absorbers as standard equipment on the Volvo S60R performance car.

Today, Tenneco is a proud steward of more than 30 of the industry’s most widely known and respected automotive brands.  We’re one company, made up of four diverse and complementary business groups – Performance Solutions, Motorparts, Clean Air and Powertrain – each with their own rich heritage, strong identity and distinct value proposition.

We serve our global aftermarket and original equipment customers with design, engineering, manufacturing and distribution capabilities, an advantaged global end-to-end supply chain and a portfolio of market leading brands, products and technologies. 

Tenneco is primed to enter the future as a solutions provider that is known for “Driving Advancements in Global Mobility” and providing solutions for cleaner, more efficient, comfortable and reliable performance.