Delivering outstanding performance ZF

DELIVERING OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

ZF is a global leader in driveline and chassis technology and it attributes much of its success to the innovative and dedicated support of its suppliers. Philip Yorke takes a closer look at these outstanding companies, their individual contributions and the latest ZF joint ventures and acquisitions that will shape the future of the company, which in 2015 will celebrate its centenary.

Founded in 1915 in Germany, ZF began by producing transmissions for airships and land vehicles. Today the group’s product range includes transmissions and steering systems, as well as chassis components and complete axle systems and modules. In 2013 the group employed over 72,000 people worldwide and recorded sales of more than €416.8 billion. About 5 per cent of its revenues are invested each year in research and development, amounting to around €1 billion, in order to further strengthen and expand ZF’s leading global position.

100 years of leadership

In 2015 ZF will celebrate 100 years of development in the production of driveline and chassis technology. CEO Dr Stefan Sommer explains the significance of this event: “Throughout the entire year, all employees should sense that we have achieved something extraordinary, something that very few companies achieve. During the anniversary year, we will fittingly acknowledge the past in various ways. Ultimately, we have already achieved a great deal. However, we also wish to use the anniversary year to look forward and to prepare ourselves for the challenges that we will face in the future.”

Matthias Lenz, executive vice-president, adds: “All ZF employees should celebrate this special event. We wish to make use of this to address the employees of the locations that have become a part of our group during the course of our 100-year history as members of the large ZF family. Consequently, this birthday can also positively contribute towards an even stronger integration within the ZF Group.”

The event will be marked by a ceremonial gala on September 9 at the Rothaus Hall at Messe Friedrichshafen. This date corresponds to the entry of ‘Zahnradfabrik GmbH’ into the Commercial Register at the Tettnang local district court exactly 100 years before. Approximately 1500 guests from politics, commerce and society will be invited.

Furthermore, on July 26, all interested parties wil be invited to a special ‘open house’ event where they will be given the exclusive opportunity to visit the production and assembly halls in Plant 2 as well as the R&D centre. The company will also take this opportunity to present the ZF Training Centre which provides young people from the region,

as well as other visitors, with information regarding the various job opportunites at ZF and paths to successful applications.

The company’s specially-selected inhouse organisational team has been working on a number of other ways to commemorate this important event. These will include an online anniversay portal, anniversary publication for employees, anniversary calendar, the publication of a company history as well as a technological presentation.

Top notch success

This year six companies have been selected to receive ZF’s coveted ‘Supplier of the year’ award. The latest presentation took place at the ‘Materials Management Symposium’ in Friedrichshafen, Germany in November 2014 and was the seventh such event that the company has hosted.

This year’s award for the most innovative supplier went to Elring Klinger AG. The company, which is headquartered in Dettingen, Germany, supplies ZF with speciality gaskets, plastic modules, thermal shielding parts and control plates for automatic transmission systems. In the jury’s view, an innovative sandwich intermediate plate, which allows additional inserts and functions to be integrated, was of particular merit. This is the second time that Elring Klinger has received the coveted award, which was last presented to them in 2007.

In the specialised area of production materials, the ZF supplier award goes to three companies: In the iron-casting category, ZF honoured M.Busch GmbH as an outstanding supplier, in terms of both delivery and cost. The Sauerland-based company was a strategic partner for ZF’s latest variable ‘Cpower’ transmission system, which delivers fuel savings of up to 25 per cent.

In the area of electronics, Hirschmann Automotive from Austria was rewarded for its top quality products and innovative strength, whilst Metaldyne GmbH & Co. KG is also recognised for its networked support

for ZF around the globe and as a technology leader in forged automotive parts.

Another award winner was Kuka Systems – one of ZF’s leading providers of automatic production and assembly solutions and an importatnt partner for the industrial assembly of ZF’s 8HP and 9HP automatic transmissions. Finally, the prestigious ‘Global Award’ went to a long-standing partner of ZF: Siemens AG. In addition, the Dax Group supplies ZF with a range of goods that include electronic components and plant and equipment solutions.

Wilhelm Rehm, who is responsible for the company’s Corporate Materials Management and Industrial Technology on the ZF board of management, said: “Any company like ZF that is looking to shape a global value chain needs innovative and, at the same time, reliable partners. The winners of this year’s Supplier Awards meet these requirements in an outstanding fashion.”

Asia Pacific expansion

ZF was one of the first international corporations to invest in the emerging Asian markets, which has paid major dividends. In 2013 it generated sales of more than €3 billion in the Asia Pacific region, with over 7500 employees in 37 locations and in 14 countries. This was an increase of 15 per cent compared with the previous year. ZF has been active in the Chinese market since 1980 and has been manufacturing locally since 1994. Today its extensive R&D centre in Shanghai, which was established in 2005, is one of the technology company’s eight main development locations worldwide.

To further enhance its presence and influence in the region, ZF has entered into a joint venture with the Chinese automotive manufacturer, BAIC. The new joint venture in which ZF holds a 51 per cent share will be located in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area (BDA) to the south-east of China’s capital. Starting in 2015, engineers and plant planners will begin development work and prepare the installation of production equipment for the launch of the next generation of chassis modules. The new state-of-the-art plant will have an initial capacity of 200,000 units for ‘just-insequence’ delivery. The customers will be the various car brands of the BAIC Group. The two partners are investing more than €10 million each in the new facility, which will cover an area of more than 16,000 square metres.

Combining new technologies

In a separate move, this time much closer to home, ZF announced the acquisition of TRW Automotive of Germany, thus forming a combined company with sales of more than €30 billion and 138,000 employees. Stefan Sommer, CEO of ZF said, “The acquisition of TRW fits perfectly into our long-term strategy. The transaction combines two highly successful companies that have remarkable track records of innovation and growth and solid financial positions. We are strengthening our future prospects by enlarging our product portfolio with acknowledged technologies in the most attractive segments.”

Today ZF is recognised as an important player in driveline and chassis technologies, whereas TRW is a significant supplier of active and passive safety technologies, including advanced driver-assistance systems. n

For further details of ZF’s latest innovative products and news items, visit: www.zf.com