Leading aftermarket parts suppliers ZF and TRW are to combine their aftermarket divisions. It means that ZF Services and TRW Aftermarket will be completely integrated by 2017. The operations will merge on January 1st , creating what ZF claims will be the world’s second-largest service organisation in the automotive supplier segment.

ZF CEO Stefan Sommer said, "Having already fully integrated sales and purchasing in the original equipment business, our aftermarket business partners will now benefit from this successful integration. With its aftermarket activities, ZF ensures that its products perform powerful and reliable throughout their entire life cycle and a professional diagnosis and repair with original equipment spare parts is provided in the workshops. It is important to us to speak with one voice in this segment and to ensure that our products and services are available in all markets worldwide.”

The TRW name will be retained as a product brand alongside Sachs, Lemförder, Boge and Openmatics. The combined aftermarket business will have some 8,000 employees worldwide and a sales volume of $3 billion. Helmut Ernst, who manages the ZF Services Business Unit, will head up the new organisation.