A team of development engineers from ZF’s Powertrain Technology Division has its sights set on expansion as it approaches the first anniversary of taking up residence at the University of Warwick Science Park’s Warwick Innovation Centre.
“We’re working on a growing number of long-term automatic transmission and hybrid transmission projects with Jaguar Land Rover,” said Stefan Reddig, head of the ZF local engineering office.
“As product complexity increases with each technological innovation, providing engineering specialists to support the customer on-site becomes a key factor for project success.”
ZF opened its local engineering office in April 2012 to provide Original Equipment (OE) product development support for Jaguar Land Rover at its nearby Coventry and Gaydon sites.
The company already provides sales, service and technical support for ZF OE and IAM products from its ZF Services UK Ltd sites in Crick, Northamptonshire, and Nottingham.
However, the volume and nature of the company’s work with Jaguar Land Rover prompted the setting-up of a satellite office closer to the customer.
ZF OE product development activities in the UK are forecast to grow, and the company is planning to recruit additional development engineers to join the team at the Warwick Innovation Centre. With access to Jaguar Land Rover’s test facilities and prototype vehicles, the local engineering office also provides valuable support to ZF product development departments at its corporate headquarters in Germany.
The original decision to establish the office in Warwick was prompted not only by the town’s proximity to Jaguar Land Rover’s development sites but also by the facilities available at the Warwick Innovation Centre.
“The flexibility of the office space here will give us the opportunity to grow,” said Reddig, “and the package of professional business services that the centre provides simplifies creating and maintaining the right impression with customers.”
Karen Aston, centre manager at the Warwick Innovation Centre, said: “We’re proud to be host to ZF and to play a part in the company achieving an even closer working relationship with Jaguar Land Rover.
“The fact that ZF now plans to expand its presence here simply reinforces the reputation for excellence that our facilities have earned.”