ZF Friedrichshafen AG, also known asZF Group, originallyZahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen (lit.'Cogwheel Factory ofFriedrichshafen'), and commonly abbreviated toZF, is a German technology manufacturing company that supplies systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology. It is headquartered inFriedrichshafen, in the south-west German state ofBaden-Württemberg. Specializing in engineering, it is primarily known for its design, research and development, and manufacturing activities in theautomotive industry and is one of the largest automotive suppliers in the world. Its products includedriveline andchassis technology for cars and commercial vehicles, along with specialized plant equipment such as construction equipment. It is also involved in the rail, marine, defense and aviation industries, as well as general industrial applications. ZF has 162 production locations in 31 countries with approximately 168,700 (2023) employees.
In 1999, the steering systems division was made separate and became the new ZF Lenksysteme GmbH, a joint venture between ZF Friedrichshafen andRobert Bosch GmbH.
Due to the2008 financial crisis, ZF took a €250 million loan from the state-ownedKfW Bank and embarked on a company-wide restructure that shut down unprofitable locations, particularly outside Germany, the total number of employees was reduced from 63,000 to 59,000 worldwide.[9] CEO Hans-Georg Härter stated that the combined effects of the loan and restructuring will eliminate the need for further employee reduction.[10]
1919: ZF entered the automobile market, a move prompted by heavy restrictions on aircraft manufacturing imposed by theTreaty of Versailles.[8]
1920: Patent application submitted for the Soden six speed transmission.
1921: Under arampant inflation and investor fears, the company went public as the Zepernicker Zahnradfabrik, with the Zeppelin Luftschiffbau GmbH holding 80% of the stock options, valued at 4 millionmarks.
1927: Moved toFriedrichshafen and changed the name to ZF Friedrichshafen.
1929: A thriving auto industry warrants the series production of the innovative helical ZF Aphon transmission for cars and commercial vehicles.
1932: Launch of steering systems production under license by ZF Lenksysteme GmbH.
1953: Market launch of the first fully synchronised transmission for commercial vehicles worldwide.
1961: Development of a fullyautomatic transmission for passenger cars. With series production beginning in 1969, and later proving highly popular, the 3HP20 is built to be swappable with the company'smanual transmissions. The 1960s sees ZF supplying transmissions to major German automakers (includingDKW,Mercedes-Benz,Porsche andBMW) as well asPeugeot andAlfa Romeo.
1977: Start of volume production for automatic transmissions for commercial vehicles. Worldwide subsidiaries and factories were opened in the 1970s, and the company moved intoIndia and South Korea.
1980s: ZF started operating in Asia in the mid 80s[18]
1984: Majority shareholding gained in Lemförder Metallwaren AG, rebranded as ZF Lemförder GmbH.
1986: Start of U.S. transmission production inGainesville, Georgia, for pickup trucks. ZF became a major supplier toFord in the 1980s.
1991: The5HP18 was the first 5-speed automatic transmission for passenger cars. Introduced in 1991 on theBMW E36 320i/325i andE34 5 Series
1994: Development of an automatic transmission system for heavy commercial vehicles. The company expanded into China in the 1990s.
1999: World premiere for the first automatic 6-speed transmission. Series production begins in 2001, with theBMW 7 Series as the first client. Today, ZF produces around one million six-speed automatic transmissions annually.
2001: Acquisition of Mannesmann Sachs AG, renamedZF Sachs AG.
2005: The 10-millionthairbag casing, the 5-millionth passenger car axle system and the 2-millionth 'Servolectric' electric power steering system are delivered.
2006: ZF produces the 10-millionth passenger car automatic transmission.
2007: One of the world's first 8-speed automatic transmissions,[19][20] the8HP[21] boasted to achieve an 11% improvement in fuel economy in comparison with standard 6-speed automatic transmissions.[22] Production began in 2009.
2008: Acquisition of keyboard manufacturersCherry Corporation. Incorporated into the ZF Electronics GmbH Corporate Division.
2011: World premiere for the first automatic 9-speed transmission.[23][clarification needed].Land Rover demonstrated the world's first nine-speed automatic transmission for a passenger car at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The ZF9HP transmission is designed for transverse applications, and is one of the most efficient and technically advanced transmissions ever used in a production vehicle. Land Rover is the lead partner with ZF on this project.
2020: ZF completes acquisition of WABCO, which will be integrated into ZF as its Commercial Vehicle Control Systems Division.[31]
2022: ZF andWolfspeed announced a joint R&D center inGermany to accelerate global Silicon Carbide system and device top innovation. ZF intends to invest in Wolfspeed, in order to support construction of the world's most advanced and largest Silicon Carbide device fab. The partnership also includes a significant investment by ZF to support the planned construction of the world's most advanced and largest 200 mm Silicon Carbide device fab inEnsdorf.
2023: ZF andHon Hai Technology Group (“Foxconn”) announced a 50-50 partnership in passenger car chassis systems, a key move aimed at accelerating and expanding automotive and supply chain opportunities with top-tier customers. Foxconn will acquire a 50-percent stake in ZF Chassis Modules GmbH.
ZF 8HP70 automatic gearboxElectric-vehicle drive unit
ZF Friedrichshafen manufactures automatic and manual transmissions for cars, trucks, buses and construction equipment;chassis components (ball joints, tie rods, cross-axis joints, stabiliser bars, control arms); shock absorbers and suspension struts; electronic damping systems includingContinuous Damping Control (CDC),Active Roll Stabilization (ARS); clutches;torque converters;differentials;axle drives; and industrial drives.
ZF components are utilized across a diverse range of vehicles and machinery, including cars, trucks, buses,light commercial vehicles,off-road equipment,rail vehicles, helicopters, motorcycles, lift trucks, machinery and system construction, test systems, cranes, as well as special marine, military and agricultural vehicles and equipment.
TheZF Lenksysteme division, a joint venture between ZF andBosch, specializes in the production of steering systems and components. This includes steering columns, gears, pumps, Electric Power Steering (EPS), and Active Steering systems.
In response to the increasing adoption of automatic transmissions in buses, ZF developed theZF AS Tronic transmission.[33] The company also produces a range of manual and automatic transmissions for trucks and buses. Notably, ZF transmissions, such as theEcomat introduced in 1980, are widely used in buses.
ZF Lemförder and ZF Sachs AG are specialized divisions within ZF, focusing on the production of both original equipment and aftermarket auto parts.
Products: Chassis components for wheel guidance, complete front and rear axles, passive and semi-active dampers, and electromechanical active chassis systems.
Products: Advanced driver assistance systems, sensor technologies, integrated electronics, advanced safety domain control units, safety electronics such as airbag electronic control units, and crash sensors for the automotive industry.
Products: Automated, manual, and powershift transmissions, drive components such as clutches and electric drives, ADAS technology including automated, camera and radar-based comfort and safety functions for trucks and buses, chassis systems, chassis components, and steering systems for vehicles.
Sales (2020): €2,687 million.Products: Transmissions and axles for agricultural and construction machinery, driveline technology for material handling systems, rail and special vehicles, marine propulsion systems, aviation technology, gearboxes for wind turbines and industrial applications, and test systems for driveline and chassis technology.
TRW Automotive, based inLivonia, Michigan, was originally the automotive division ofTRW Inc., established in 2002. It specializes in designing, manufacturing, and sellingautomotive safety systems. With approximately 200 facilities and 66,100 employees across 26 countries, TRW Automotive was acquired by ZF Friedrichshafen in 2015 and now forms the Active & Passive Safety Technology division.
In October 2022, ZFspun off the Passive Safety Systems division into a standalone entity, ZF Lifetec, focusing on vehicle safety tests and equipment.[34]
ZF Group operates globally, with Europe as its primary market, followed by the Asia-Pacific region, North and SouthAmerica and Middle East & Africa.[promotion?]
The company maintains six research and development (R&D) centers worldwide to tailor product development to local markets, investing approximately 5% of its sales revenue annually in R&D.
Global locations of ZF Friedrichshafen AG
InGreat Britain, ZF has been active since 1973. The manufacturing base inDarlaston supplies chassis components to the British automotive industry, including Jaguar, BMW, and Land Rover. ZF Great Britain Ltd. in Nottingham also has a remanufacturing facility and customer support operations.[35]
In theNAFTA region, ZF operates 16 locations, including an R&D center nearDetroit and a manufacturing plant inLaurens County, South Carolina, which began production in 2013.[36]
ZF has a significant presence in Asia, focusing onChina, Korea, Japan, and Australia.Liuzhou ZF Machinery Co., Ltd. in China, a joint venture withGuangxi LiuGong Machinery Co., manufactures driveline components for construction machinery.[citation needed]
ZF's presence in India includes joint ventures and license partnerships spanning over three decades. ZF India Private Ltd., operational since 2007 in Pune, focuses on axles, off-road driveline technology, and commercial vehicle technology. The facility includes factory buildings, a warehouse, and an aftermarket service facility.
€41.4 billion (2024)[3]
