ZF SET TO COMPLETE TRW INTEGRATION

‘Single aftermarket structure’ completes plan. TRW to remain as a product brand

Following the acquisition of TRW last year, ZF Friedrichshafen AG (ZF) has announced plans to integrate both companies.

The exact details, which will include the brand portfolio structure will be announced at the Automechanika show in Frankfurt in September.

While the current information is vague, ZF have confirmed that the TRW name ‘will be retained as a product brand’ and will sit alongside Sachs, Lemförder, Boge and Openmatics. The firm says that the new structure will make ZF the second largest service organisation in car parts supply.

“Our aftermarket business partners will now benefit from this successful integration,” said ZF CEO Stefan
Sommer, who confirmed that sales and purchasing on the OE side had already been integrated. “With its aftermarket activities, ZF ensures that its products perform powerful and reliable throughout their entire life cycle and a professional diagnosis and repair with original equipment spare parts is provided in the workshops. It is important to us to speak with one voice in this segment and to ensure that our products and services are available in all
markets worldwide.”

ZF acquired TRW Automotive on May 15, 2015 and the new single aftermarket structure will take effect from January 1, 2017. The new structure and the management team will be headed by Helmut Ernst and Neil Fryer.

In other TRW news, the firm’s single shock absorber range will now be stocked by Andrew Page. Stephen Willis, a Manager at TRW said: “TRW has been working with Andrew Page for a number of years now, and this relationship helped us bring our TRW single shock absorber range to market”.