BMW has been using ZF-made transmissions for a while now.
ZF Friedrichshafen AG, the company that makes German car-parts manufacturer, has appointed a new Head for the company’s India region and ZF India Pvt. Ltd. The latter is a fully-owned subsidiary of ZF Friedrichshafen AG and Suresh KV will now be responsible for the performance and development of all lines of business for the German company and for the operations of its Indian arm – ZF India Pvt. Ltd.
Suresh KV will now handle ZF’s business in India.
ZF stands for Zahnradfabrik, which literally translates to Gear Factory in English. The company has been manufacturing transmission systems, steering, axle components for several carmakers. The company also produces vital components for the railway and aviation industry, among others. The car companies for whom ZF manufacturers transmission systems for Audi, Bentley, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Jaguar, Land Rover, Maserati, Rolls-Royce and Volkswagen, among several more.
The Range Rover is equipped with ZF’s latest dual-clutch 9-speed transmission.
Rudi von Meister, President for ZF Asia Pacific, said, “As ZF opens this new chapter, the ZF Board and I are confident that Mr. Suresh KV is the right person to lead the company in the Indian market. Suresh KV has been working with us since 2007 and was appointed as the Executive Director of ZF Wind Power Coimbatore Ltd. in 2010. He has a proven ability to create strategic clarity, drive innovation and growth, ensure disciplined execution, and deliver results. We believe that under his leadership ZF will continue to deliver innovations and customer satisfaction that will have a positive impact on the Indian market. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Piyush Munot for his much appreciated support and commitment to the expansion of the ZF presence during his long tenure with the Company.”
Maserati’s Quattroporte is also equipped with a ZF gearbox.
Suresh KV is an engineering graduate from REC Calicut (currently NIT Kozhikode) and a Post Graduate from SP Jain Institute of Management, Mumbai. Before joining ZF as General Manager (Operations Centre) in 2007, Suresh KV worked for Asian Paints Limited and also Bajaj Auto. In November 2010, Suresh KV became ZF’s Executive Director. ZF has been in India for the past 30 years and currently has nine plants spread across Pune, Pantnagar, Gurgaon, Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai, and roughly 3000 employees.