to operate as joint organisation from 2017

Move will create the world’s second-largest service organisation in the automotive supplier segment.

ZF Services and TRW Aftermarket will combine as one organisation from January 1, 2017.

ZF chief executive officer Dr. Stefan Sommer said: “Having already fully integrated sales and purchasing in the original equipment business, our aftermarket business partners will now benefit from this successful integration.

“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 integrated the company into the organisational structure as the active and passive safety technology division.

The respective aftermarket activities still sit within this division.

The TRW name will be retained as a product brand and enhance the existing brand portfolio alongside Sachs, Lemförder, Boge and Openmatics.

The new organisation creates the second largest aftermarket organisation in the automotive supplier segment with approximately 8,000 employees worldwide and a sales volume of around €3 billion.

Helmut Ernst, who currently manages the ZF Services Business Unit, will head up the new organisation.