Philip Lange/ShutterstockZF is the brand behind some of the best transmissions currently in circulation, like the ZF 8, which mechanics call one of the most reliable automatic transmissions. While consumers in the know may think of ZF broadly as a German company, their ownership and manufacturing structure is fairly complex.ZF is formally ZF Friedrichshafen AG, and is primarily an automotive supplier. The company's headquarters is in Friedrichshafen, Germany, a picturesque lakeside city on the northern shore of Lake Constance best known as the birthplace of the Zeppelin airship industry. The name ZF comes from the German word "Zahnradfabrik," meaning "gear factory."ZF was founded in 1915 as a transmission supplier for the aviation industry. Over time, it's transformed into a major global manufacturer of vehicle technologies around steering, electrified powertrains, safety, and much more — including this wild design for an autonomous vehicle's steering wheel. It's now owned by a foundation rather than public shareholders or a car manufacturer.The Zeppelin Foundation, itself overseen by the City of Friedrichshafen itself, owns 93.8% of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, while another group, The Dr. Jürgen and Irmgard Ulderup Foundation, controls the remaining 6.2%, according to the company's website. Much of the company's transmission manufacturing happens in Germany, the United States, and possibly in China at some point in the future.Key global manufacturing sitesThomas Lohnes/Getty ImagesZF's identity as a German company is well-founded, as Germany remains central to the company's transmission R&D and manufacturing. The company's high profile, fourth-gen eight-speed automatic, the 8HP Gen4, was designed in Friedrichshafen. Production kicked off at the company's Saarbrücken, Germany plant in 2022, and the company said a fourth production line would open there by the summer of 2025.That said, the company has production assets in 29 countries, including manufacturing in the U.S. Its American operations primary run out of the Gray Court facility in South Carolina. Production of eight- and nine-speed automatics kicked off there back in 2012, with the formal ribbon cutting for the transmission plant happening in 2013. In 2024, ZF announced it planned to invest another $500 million into the site to accelerate manufacturing of its plug-in hybrid 8HP Gen4 for the North America market.ZF also has localized production in China, specifically in Shanghai, and began manufacturing there in 2019. The Shanghai facility produces the eight-speed hybrid transmission with a high percentage of components sourced domestically. The company's global footprint has also expanded as a result of acquisitions, like these five auto parts brands that now fall under the ZF umbrella.
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