Capital Equipment News June 2015

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS

JUNE 2015

ith more than 13 000 steering and

chassis components for passenger

cars and commercial vehicles, the

ZF Services brand Lemförder, is already a

strong and well established partner in the

independent spare parts business world-

wide – and is now once again markedly ex-

panding its footprint into the South African

market. From older generation vehicles to

recently launched models, ZF Services and

so its brand Lemförder has components

which demonstrate the innovative power of

the ZF Group.

Steering and chassis components represent

the most important link between the vehi-

cle and the road. Control arms, stabilizers,

or torque rods, ensure safety, comfort and

road holding when driving. Only absolute

precision in the design, manufacture and

assembly of all components ensures that

a commercial vehicle or bus can be safely

controlled at all times.

The established Lemförder product brand

from ZF Services therefore stands not only

for OE quality, but also provides extensive

technological expertise through its service

portfolio that includes training, product de-

velopment and support which enables work-

shops to easily identify and repair defective

parts. Up to 70 steering and chassis com-

ponents may be installed in a single vehicle.

As they are safety parts, they are subject to

special diligence during design, production,

and assembly.

Chassis components for trucks by the ZF

Services brand Lemförder increase pay-

load, reduce fuel consumption, and optimize

driving support. In order to ensure safe axle

guidance, trucks and buses require torque

rods which are also referred to as axle

guiding control arms, axle control arms, or,

when on the front axle, thrust rods. These

parts connect the axle with the frame in a

longitudinal, transverse, or diagonal man-

ner. The precision products from Lemförder

guarantee an accurate axle guidance. This

contributes to reducing tire wear. The weight

is reduced with torque rods thanks to design

optimizations, e.g. through the utilization of

casting technology. In doing so, the chassis

as a safety part is always the priority for us.

Lemförder steering parts have prevailed on

the truck and bus market thanks to zero

maintenance, low weight, an individual and

space-saving design, as well as long service

life. The spare parts for the aftermarket also

feature this original equipment quality.

ZF is a global leader in driveline and chassis

technology with 122 production companies

in 26 countries. In 2014, the Group will pre-

sumably achieve a sales figure of more than

EUR 18 billion with approximately 72 000

employees. In order to continue to be suc-

cessful with innovative products, ZF annually

invests about five percent of its sales (2014:

around EUR 890 million) in research and de-

velopment. ZF is one of the ten largest auto-

motive suppliers worldwide.

ZF Services ensures that ZF systems exper-

tise is carried forward consistently into the

aftermarket. With integrated solutions and

the entire ZF product portfolio, the business

unit guarantees the performance and effi-

ciency of vehicles throughout their lifecycle.

Driveline and chassis technology by ZF is

offered in the aftermarket business using

the well-established product brands Sachs,

Lemförder, Boge, ZF Lenksysteme, and ZF

Parts. With its global service network and

portfolio tailored to customer requirements,

ZF Services has also become a popular part-

ner in the non-automotive sector.

In 2015, the company is celebrating its

centennial. Originally named Zahnradfabrik

GmbH, ZF was founded in Friedrichshafen

in 1915 by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH

among others. In its early years, the com-

pany developed, tested, and manufactured

aircraft transmissions. After 1919, the com-

pany focus shifted under Alfred Graf von

Soden-Fraunhofen, the first Managing Direc-

tor and later member of the Board of Man-

agement and CEO, to the automotive and

commercial vehicle industry. In this sector,

the company established itself once and for

all as a major technology supplier, registering

numerous patents for innovative transmission

technology. The first location outside Europe

was founded in Brazil in 1958, launching a

globalization drive that still continues today.

In addition, ZF constantly expanded its range

of expertise – also through acquisitions. For

instance, in 1984 ZF acquired the majority

share in Lemförder Metallwaren & Co. KG,

a move which extended the product portfo-

lio to include chassis technology. Later, in

2001, ZF took over Mannesmann Sachs AG

to strengthen its value creation chain with

driveline and chassis components. It adopt-

ed the current name of ZF Friedrichshafen

AG in 1992. Today’s product range includes

driveline and chassis technology such as

transmissions, driveline and chassis compo-

nents, as well as complete axle systems and

modules. ZF products are used in passenger

cars, commercial vehicles, construction and

agricultural machinery, rail vehicles, and ma-

rine applications. The company also focuses

on the wind power and electronic compo-

nents business.

ZF SERVICES SOUTH AFRICA

introduces the Lemförder brand

FLUID COUPLINGS