The power of2: ZF and TRW - two champions merging into one global player

It is double happiness for German car parts maker ZF Friedrichshafen AG as 2015 not only marks the 100^th anniversary of their founding but also the acquisition of TRW Automotive Holdings Corp, an American global supplier of automotive systems. Throughout its rich history, ZF has leveraged entrepreneurial opportunities and evolved into a leading technology company in the fields of driveline and chassis technology, as well as safety and electronic systems.

ZF Friedrichshafen AG has become one of the world's top three automotive suppliers with the acquisition of TRW Automotive. The company has brought together the strengths of its former separate enterprises since the closing completed on May 15, 2015. Approximately 134,000 employees at around 230 locations worldwide generated pro forma sales in excess of 30 billion Euros in 2014.

ZF operates in some 40 countries worldwide and, in addition to Europe, has a particularly strong presence in the growth regions of North America and Asia-Pacific.

the acquisition of TRW Automotive under the umbrella of ZF has made it the third-largest automotive supplier in the world with a sales volume of more than 30 billion Euros (more than SGD$44 billion) and more than 130,000 employees.

ZF now has a comprehensive and complementary product portfolio in the areas of driveline and chassis technology and safety and electronic systems. This gives the company a regionally-balanced, customer-specific portfolio in both the volume and premium segments, with a strong presence in the most rapidly-growing automobile markets of Western Europe, the United States, and Asia-Pacific.

The integration of TRW into ZF will not come at the cost of the formerly independent enterprise's dynamism and customer relationships. This is another reason why TRW will initially operate as the fifth division in ZF, while the TRW brand name will be retained. Simultaneously, ZF will prepare the ground for future products that will enable it to achieve its target of generating additional customer value with complete systems from one source.

"The pooling of our R&D capacities will enable us to develop groundbreaking technologies," says Dr. Sommer. This is not restricted to the future trend of automated driving, for which the enlarged ZF company can already offer a whole range of assistance systems. This includes, for example, a Highway Driving Assist or a Parking Assist system, which could make parking easier in the future. ZF will also improve sensors and actuators to further increase the maturity level of today's systems that are already suitable for production.