Zf Group News

The new facility has dedicated transmission and thruster repair facilities, and larger warehouse and training areas. ZF Marine has a long standing presence in Louisiana, opening their first location in the city of St. Rose in 1996. The ever increasing customer base combined with the addition of the commercial thruster product line in 2009 resulted in the need to create a larger physical presence in the region. A comprehensive search of the region resulted in ZF finding a new home at 677 Time Saver Avenue in Elmwood, Louisiana. ZF Marine’s new facility is three times the size of its previous location. The new facility not only houses dedicated transmission and thruster repair facilities, but also a significantly larger warehouse area.

ZF Marine Krimpen is applying Subsea Industries’ Ecoshield hard coating to the nozzles and underwater components of its azimuth thruster units supplied to vessels operating in inland waterways. The Netherlands-based company, a division of Germany’s ZF Group, is using Ecoshield on thrusters supplied to a number of U.S.-based customers to reduce operational wear and tear in brown waters such as the Mississippi River. The solution was found in Antwerp, in 2015, when ZF approached…

ZF Marine, the marine business unit of the global ZF Group, said it has secured a new location for its Gulf of Mexico/Inland Waterway sales and service operations. The company opened its wholly owned location in the greater New Orleans area in late 1996, the first satellite location outside of ZF’s North American marine headquarters. The location was established to provide close support for the commercial vessel industry in the Gulf of Mexico. Twenty years later, ZF Marine’s growing presence in the Inland Waterway…

EPA Tier 4 regulations (for engines of 804 hp and higher) and propulsion advancements have many manufacturers and vessel designers changing course to adapt to new requirements and customer demands. Jensen Maritime is designing a new 110-ft. harbor class ship assist docking tug with 6,770 horsepower. “It’s a little larger than most. The extra length allows for towing which is secondary use,” says Vice President Johan Sperling. “There will be Tier 4 equipment in it. Bryan Nichols…

Following the go-ahead from antitrust authorities, on December 1, 2015 ZF has officially taken over the industrial gears and wind turbine gearbox business from Bosch Rexroth AG. With this, some 1,200 employees altogether at the Witten, Beijing and Lake Zurich (USA) locations will thus join the technology company. The purchase price has not been disclosed. For ZF, the acquisition is an entry into the business with large industrial gears that are used in oil rigs, mine vehicles, tunnel drilling machines, or cableways, for instance.

ZF Friedrichshafen AG is celebrating its centennial in 2015. Founded in the city of Friedrichshafen at Lake Constance in 1915 as “Zahnradfabrik GmbH,” the company developed from an aviation specialist with regional roots to an international technology company active on the global mobility markets, including maritime. MR recently visited with Daniel Härter, Vice President Industrial Technology, Head of Business Unit Marine Propulsion Systems, who took over responsibility for ZF Marine as of September 1, 2014. ZF is obviously large and diverse across many markets.

Zahnradfabrik GmbH was founded in 1915, and through a 100-year history has developed into a leading technology company in driveline and chassis technology with a global network of 71,600 employees at 122 locations worldwide. ZF developed from its roots as a supplier specialized on the aviation industry to a global mobility technology company. Its founding at Lake Constance 100 years ago had its origins in Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH, which was headquartered there at the time and which was also a shareholding partner of Zahnradfabrik: The task of the newly founded company was to develop…

A walk through the ZF Friedrichshafen AG marine propulsion system manufacturing plant in southern Germany does nothing but confirm the commonly held perceptions of German engineering prowess: the facility is clean to a fault; the equipment is modern and well-maintained; the employees are orderly and efficient. While the ZF marine propulsion systems business – which generated a turnover of $336 million in 2013 – is but a sliver of the company’s overall 2013 sales of $22.4 billion…

ZF Marine penetrates domestic inland waterway markets – enjoying good success with two U.S. majors. The prospects for an even brighter future hinge on the performance of its early entries. So far, so good. It’s no secret that the domestic, inland marine business can be conservative in its approach to adopt new technologies, but then, this can probably be said of the global waterfront, as well. But the market is changing, driven by larger corporate entities moving into these tightly held markets, as well as a myriad of legislative and operational conditions – namely the rapidly rising cost of fuel. ZF Marine – or more specifically ZF Marine Krimpen b.v.…

The Industrial Technology division of the ZF Group said that Martin Meissner has assumed the position of Marketing and Communications Manager for North America. Meissner, currently the Marketing and Communications Manager for ZF’s Marine business in North America, will now be responsible for all facets of marketing related activities in North America for the Industrial Technology division. The Industrial Technology division encapsulates all of the non-automotive business activities of the ZF Group.

Marine propulsion system technology providers ZF Marine says it expanded its portfolio of transmissions for the commercial craft segment when two hybrid-ready systems were launched at the recent SMM show in Hamburg. Daniel Härter has also taken charge as CEO of ZF Marine Propulsion Systems. ZF Marine is strengthening its range of workboat transmissions with the brand new ZF W10000 family, designed mainly for the offshore and tugboat market. Bringing the latest in hybrid-ready propulsion technology, the new ZF 3300 PTI is suitable for all types of high speed pleasure and commercial applications. Mr. Daniel Härter assumes the responsibility as CEO of ZF Marine Propulsion Systems. Mr.

ZF Marine Friedrichshafen AG, the marine propulsion systems division of the ZF Group introduced the ZF 3300 PTI transmission at SMM 2014. With the launch of the ZF 3300 PTI, ZF Marine Propulsion Systems expands its product offering in it hybrid-ready product portfolio. Designed to be powered through standard diesel engine input, or via alternate power source through a Power Take In (PTI), this new transmission brings a hybrid-ready solution suitable for all types of high speed pleasure and commercial applications.

Effective September 1, 2014, Daniel Härter assumes the responsibility as CEO of ZF Marine Propulsion Systems. Härter will be based out of ZF Marine’s headquarters in Padova, Italy. Benz has been promoted to the Head of Corporate Key Account Management at the global ZF Group level. Härter comes to ZF Marine from ZF’s Industrial Technology Division in Passau, Germany where he previously held the position of Vice President Materials Management. Härter completed his studies in Business…

When German industrial manufacturing giant ZF bought Holland Rudder Propeller nearly five years ago, it was a strategic addition to its ZF Marine portfolio that is now reaping big rewards as it is enjoying strong penetration of its azimuth thruster systems in the U.S. towboat market. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News visited with Frank van der Vegt, Sales Manager, Commercial Craft Thruster Systems, at the ZF Marine Krimpen B.V. factory in The Netherlands for an update. The marine business…