ZF Friedrichshafen AG, a global leader in driveline and chassis technology as well as active and passive safety technology, inaugurated its first Technology Center in India in Hyderabad, Telangana. The ceremony took place in the presence of K. T. Rama Rao, Honorable Minister for IT, MA & UD, Industries & Commerce, Government of Telangana, Dr. Stefan Sommer, CEO of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Mamatha Chamarthi, Chief Digital Officer and executive lead for the India Technology Center (ITC) and other senior government and ZF officials.
The ZF ITC strengthens ZF’s presence in the country with anticipated investment plans of €15 million over the next five years. The ITC will foster high-end innovations which will focus on bringing advanced technology to India as well as localizing more strategic business activities including research, design and development for global market initiatives. It also aims to leverage one of the finest academic research communities and the increasingly recognized rich and diverse talent pool for global development projects.
ZF CEO Dr. Stefan Sommer said: “At ZF, we are experiencing substantial growth in many regions, and this is especially true in India. In a dynamically changing and increasingly digital world, speed is of the essence and we are proud to have been able to complete the set-up in a short period of time.” ZF announced plans to build the ITC in September 2016. “We look forward to establishing our presence in such an exciting part of the region and growing its reputation as an innovation hub.”
The new Technology Center will be dedicated to electronics, embedded software and mechanical engineering. It will support ZF’s global development teams while enabling the company to accelerate local product development supporting ZF automotive and non-automotive operations and customers in India. The company intends to harness the skill set present in the country today to develop world class technology solutions for ZF across the globe, in addition to accelerating local product development.
Mamatha Chamarthi, Chief Digital Officer of ZF, added: “The India Technology Center will be rapidly integrated into the engineering ecosystem of ZF and become a pillar of innovation for the company. As demand for software engineering grows, ZF will exponentially increase capacity to help meet customers’ growth aspirations in both the global and local market.”
Welcoming the new Technology Center, K. T. Rama Rao, Honorable Minister for IT, MA & UD, Industries & Commerce, Government of Telangana, said: “We are happy to welcome ZF to Telangana and will extend all our support to the organization. Telangana offers an industry-friendly infrastructure and industrial development policy, adequate power supply and world-class infrastructure facilities which facilitates business development. With an industry leader like ZF coming to Hyderabad, it is going to further reinforce the state’s position as a growing hub for the automotive industry.”
Besides technology, social responsibility is an important part of ZF’s corporate culture. ZF is tying up with Akshay Patra foundation, the world’s largest non-profit organization providing mid-day meals to children, by sponsoring a van to transport food to schools in remote locations in Hyderabad. Speedy delivery of nutritious meals to government schools will safeguard the safety, quality and nutritional value of the food. By this activity nearly 5,000 students from government schools will be benefiting, reducing starvation of underserved children.
