Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicles (TDCV) and ZF Friedrichshafen AG have concluded a long-term supply contract, under which TDCV trucks will be equipped with manual ZF transmissions of the Ecosplit type and the automatic transmission system AS Tronic. This provides a solid framework for the already existing business relationship between ZF and TDCV.
The term of the agreement is initially four years until the end of 2013.
The TDCV trucks of the “Novus” and “Worldtruck” model ranges, which are equipped with ZF technology, are mainly sold on the Korean market, as also on the export market.
TDCV is the second largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in Korea. Since 1986, ZF has been in contact with the company, which is part of the Indian parent company Tata Motors.
This long-term supply agreement places the supplier relationship on a more solid framework. Standard versions of the heavy truck ranges “Novus” and “Worldtruck” have the ZF-Ecosplit transmission on board. The AS Tronic automatic transmission system is offered as an option. The supply contract is initially designed for a period of four years.
In the heavy truck segment, TDCV recently recorded a market share of more than 30 percent in Korea, with an annual production of about 3,000 units. The TDCV model ranges are also exported to South Africa.
“This long-term agreement is a gain in continuity for us this is positive news for our production location in Friedrichshafen, which is severely affected by the global crisis phenomena”, says Rolf Lutz, Group Executive of ZF’s Commercial Vehicle and Special Driveline Technology division.
