ZF Lifetec commissions new GCC in Hyderabad with 5 million Euro investment

German Tier-1 technology major ZF, which is a leading manufacturer of vehicle safety and powertrain systems globally, has commissioned a new Global Competency Centre (GCC) for its recently spun-off entity - ZF Lifetec - in India’s Hyderabad. 

The new state-of-the-art facility located in Gachibowli's Wipro Circle aims to bring modern innovations in passive safety systems including airbags, seatbelts and steering systems while focusing on the software, electronics and mechanical design elements of these systems for both local and international markets. 

The new GCC has been established with an investment of 5 million Euros and is one among ZF Lifetec’s other global developmental centres such as those in Germany, Detroit, China, and Japan, among others.

The existing 220 engineers working at the Hyderabad GCC are part of the collective 3,500 ZF Lifetec workforce globally, with the company outlining plans to continue its resource expansion to over 500 engineers in the next five years, as per demand and diversification into more safety product lines.

The facility was inaugurated by Telangana’s Minister for IT and Industries, Duddilla Sridhar Babu Garu, at the Wipro Circle SEZ area of the city.

According to Rudolf Stark, EVP, ZF Lifetec, “The new GCC in Hyderabad is a symbol of our commitment to quality and sustainability, while keeping innovation at the focal point. As India is a growing market, we are investing heavily in India and the facility allows us to be closer to our customers, as well as serve global engineering needs out of India quickly and competitively.”

According to Akash Passey, President, ZF Group in India, “This state-of-the-art centre will play a crucial role in expanding our footprint in India and drive advancements in passive safety across regions. With over 200 engineers and strategic investments, it will further enable us to collaborate with leading industry players, and address both global and local needs.”

Localising safety tech

Stark highlighted that ZF Lifetec is also intensifying its local manufacturing capabilities in India and has recently switched the manufacturing of airbag inflators from Aschau in Germany to Trichy in India, with an installed capacity of 3 million units annually.

The company is also conducting in-house webbing of seatbelts at its plants in Chennai and Kanchipuram, since May 2023 and August 2023, respectively. The combined capacity at these plants is pegged at 36 million metres annually.

According to Passey, “Along with the ZF Group and our strong partners in India such as the Rane Group, we will translate these safety technologies to be locally manufactured in India and available to all OEMs at a reasonable price. We wish to be part of India's 2047 vision by virtue of our life-saving technologies and aim to reduce road fatalities in the country.”

“We are driving processes in the area of passive safety and bringing innovative products of the future. We will bring new solutions that reflect our commitment to enhance safety in vehicles,” added Stark.