ZF Group to set up tech centre in Hyderabad

The Dollar Business Bureau

German car parts manufacturer ZF Friedrichshafen AG will soon set up its first India Technology Centre, dedicated to mechanical engineering and software, in Hyderabad.

The government has extended support to ZF's development teams, which, in turn, will enable the company to enhance local product development, said the company in a statement.

The company will be fully operational by January 1, 2017, while it expects to employ 2,500 engineers by 2020..

"This new facility is a significant investment for ZF in India. We are harnessing the skilled talent pool that India has to offer in order to develop superior technology solutions for our global as well as local customers," said Stefan Sommer, CEO, ZF Friedrichshafen AG.

"As demand for software engineering grows, we will exponentially increase our capacity to help meet our customers' growth aspirations. With this technology centre, we are reinforcing our global R&D footprint as well as our commitment and investment in the rapidly emerging Indian market," he said.

ZF Friedrichshafen has been, over the years, successful in localising high-technology products in the country.

The company has about 13,800 engineers working in R&D across the globe. The R&D network comprises of over 100 development locations.

"ZF has an impressive history of being the leader and innovator in the auto component sector. We have 1,000 external engineers in the field of electronics, software and mechanical engineering with key Indian Engineering Services providers in Pune, Bengaluru and Hyderabad," said Mamatha Chamarthi, Senior Vice-President and Executive Lead for the new India Technology Centre.

"Our ZF India technology centre will build on this engineering foundation and focus not only on bringing advanced technology to India, but localising more strategic business activities, including research, design and development."