The 2025 ZF LIFETEC Global Supplier Partner Conference was held on Oct. 21 in Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ), marking the first time this prestigious event has been hosted in China since ZF LIFETEC's inception in the zone.

The conference gathered 200 suppliers and nearly 500 industry experts from around the globe to strategize on enhancing supply chain resilience and optimizing costs.

Robert Strebl, global vice-president of purchasing at ZF LIFETEC, hoped that the conference would spark innovative collaboration methods and pathways to address the unprecedented challenges facing the automotive industry.

Nick Song, vice-president of ZF LIFETEC Asia-Pacific, emphasized the future integration of passive and active safety systems as intelligent driving evolves, opening new industry opportunities.

He stressed that ZF LIFETEC aims to work with partners to develop locally adapted product solutions, fostering a more efficient and reliable cooperative ecosystem.

You Zheng, deputy general manager of Dongfeng Motor, highlighted that Dongfeng is focused on developing a "1+N+X" large-scale R&D system, with the hope that partners will integrate into this framework. The goal is to share technology paths and promote the transformation of results in key areas such as smart cabins, intelligent driving, and new energy power.

ZF, a Global Fortune 500 company and leader in automotive components, has made significant investments in WEDZ since 2011, expanding the scope of its Wuhan plant. It has established the ZF automotive passive safety component production base and R&D center, the company’s largest airbag production base, and a new product prototype testing center in the zone.

WEDZ is home to 10 vehicle manufacturers and 14 assembly plants, with companies from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan establishing vehicle or component enterprises in the zone. This creates supply chain synergy, with annual vehicle production and sales reaching millions and component demand in the hundreds of billions.

Tang Chao, director of the WEDZ administrative committee, invited ZF's partners to seize opportunities, integrate into the zone's automotive supply chain, share opportunities, and create a bright future together.

Michael Eisenbarth, global chief operating officer of ZF LIFETEC, and Song provided insights into ZF LIFETEC's global business outlook and Asia-Pacific business development.

Attendees also toured the ZF LIFETEC Wuhan production base and R&D center to gain a deeper understanding of its latest product development and production efforts.

Editor: DaiJingYi