On Wednesday, ZF, one of the world's top ten automotive suppliers, announced major industry developments. Matthias Midlich, the company's CEO, formally disclosed to German media that ZF is fully advancing the spin-off of its wind power division to enhance corporate cash flow.
Founded in 1915, ZF is Germany's second-largest and one of the world's top five automotive component suppliers. Its core business focuses on the development, production, and supply of automotive drive-train systems and braking technology, occupying an irreplaceable key position within the global automotive industry supply chain.
In the wind power industry, ZF's core operating entity is ZF Wind Antwerp NV. Since 1979, this entity has been deeply engaged in the wind turbine transmission systems sector, specializing in the R&D, design, large-scale production, and global supply of wind power gearboxes. It stands as a key supplier with core competitiveness in the global wind power transmission field.
According to authoritative data released by ZF, its independently developed and manufactured wind turbine gearboxes now account for over 50% of Europe's installed offshore wind capacity, demonstrating a dominant market position. Concurrently, ZF has established a deep strategic partnership with global wind power giant Vestas. Together, the two companies have delivered over 10GW of installed capacity in the offshore wind sector.
ZF 30MW Transmission System Test Bench
Currently, ZF Wind Energy Antwerp N.V. operates six major manufacturing facilities worldwide, with a combined annual production capacity of approximately 16,000 MW. Its production network extensively covers five core markets: Belgium, India, Germany, the United States, and China. The company holds a market share of approximately 25% in the global wind turbine gearbox sector.
In the Chinese market, ZF's core operational entity is ZF (Tianjin) Wind Power Co., Ltd. Located in Tianjin's Beichen District, it serves as ZF's leading wind power equipment manufacturing base in China. This facility specializes in producing gearboxes and core components for wind turbines rated at 1.5 megawatts and above, primarily supporting large-scale offshore wind power projects across the country.
