ZF opens new axle assembly line for off-highway products

German Tier 1 supplier ZF today inaugurated its new state-of-the-art assembly line for off-highway products at its Coimbatore plant. The assembly line is based at ZF Windpower Coimbatore, is built to  assemble of axles for backhoe-loader, wheel-loader, dump trucks and compactor applications.

ZF says the inauguration represents a major milestone for its relation with its customer JCB. Joining the event Vipin Sondhi, MD and CEO, JCB India said: “JCB India has had a long and valuable relationship with ZF. It has been an equal partner in our commitment to manufacture world-class products in India for our customers worldwide. With this new assembly line, we are certain that ZF will set the bar even higher for quality and reliability of their products.”

The company has been developing and manufacturing driveline systems and axles for construction machinery for over half a century and equips a wide range of construction vehicles with axle and driveline technology.

Tilo Huber, head of Construction equipment business from Passau, Germany, said, “This new state-of-the-art facility will help us to address increasing demand. The Indian market is increasingly important for ZF Group and particularly for our off-highway business. Our activities are appreciated by local OEMs and support our competitiveness for global customers.”

The company says the new assembly line will address the expected market demand and add capacity for local customers as well as for export markets. In the field of construction machinery, ZF is one of the leading technology and innovation leaders globally. The developers' focus in this field is on reducing consumption and emissions, increasing productivity, driving comfort and safety as well as increasing the ease of operation and reducing noise.

The investments are aligned with the goal to bring best-in-class technology to help customers to offer products with enhanced performance and reliability. Based on market conditions ZF plans to triple initial capacity of the new line within the next three years.

Suresh KV, Head of Region India, ZF, commented: “Private and public investment in building and infrastructure are key for India’s economic growth. With this assembly line we support the localisation of vehicle production for off-highway applications. Bringing key technology to the Indian market underlines the growing importance of our home market. The inauguration of this assembly line in Coimbatore is the next logical step to further increase our vertical integration and thereby our customer service.”