ZF auto group to expand

ZF Friedrichshafen AG, the diversified auto parts manufacturing company, is planning to invest Rs 2,000 crore in setting up new business units and expanding capacity in the country over the coming years. The group is present in India through seven companies and eight manufacturing plants. It is engaged in production of car suspension systems, steering systems and electronic components.

Today, it inaugurated its truck transmission plant in Pune, with a capacity of 25,000 units yearly. This will be expanded to accommodate transmission production for heavy buses. ZF hopes to double the production to 50,000 units yearly.

Mandeep Bhalla, head of ZF’s commercial vehicle division, said: “We would be eager to bring in more (of our) companies to India and explore areas such as aviation, wind power, marine and passenger car transmissions.”

From a turnover of ¤30 million (Rs 186 crore), ZF is targeting sales of ¤200 million (Rs 1,250 crore) over the next four-five years from its India operations.