GERMANYZF Marine ZF Marine makes a strongmakes a strongTowboat ThrustTowboat ThrustBy Greg TrauthweinThe marine business, particularly the inland hen German marine business here and abroad, is generally ZF Group By the Numbersconservative in its uptake of new technologies, industrial manu-When ZF touts its global capability, it ‘walks particularly when it comes to the vessel’s power the walk’ with the numbers to back it up. Some system. Simply put, there is still a proliferation facturing giant impressive end of 2013 numbers include:of smaller, tightly held companies that have been Sales $22.4 billionZF bought Hol-managed and operated for multiple generations, Employees 72,643with the preference to lean on accrued experi-R&D Expenditure $1.1 billionland Rudder W• 122 production companies in 26 countriesence.• 8 main development locations in But the market is changing, driven by larger Propeller nearly ? ve years ago, it was a 4 countriescorporate entities nudging their way into these • 33 service companiestightly held markets, and also by a myriad of strategic addition to its ZF Marine port-• 724 patent applications in 2013 legislative and operational conditions – namely (Top 10 in patent applicants in Germany)the rapidly rising cost of fuel. ZF Marine – or folio that is now reaping big rewards as it more speci? cally ZF Marine Krimpen b.v., the commercial thruster manufacturer – is poised globally, or linking up with an organization with is enjoying strong penetration of its azi-to pro? t as it builds an enviable reference list of a global network in place. inland towboat companies enjoying operational ZF turned out to be a perfect partner.muth thruster systems in the U.S. towboat advantages and tremendous fuel savings courtesy ZF Group, an industrial behemoth with $22.4 of its thruster solution. billion in sales and 72,643 employees at the end market. Maritime Reporter & Engineer-of 2013, was looking to add marine thruster tech-2009: A Pivotal Year nology to its ZF Marine family of products, and it ing News visited with Frank van der Vegt, ZF bought HRP Thruster Systems B.V. in 2009, already had the established network of sales and a strategic purchase that proved to be the prover- service in place, as well as the engineering horse-Sales Manager, Commercial Craft Thruster bial ‘win-win’ for both companies. HRP was at power and organizational structure to grow the a crossroads, faced with investing heavily in in- thruster business quickly and effectively.Systems, at the ZF Marine Krimpen B.V. frastructure and people to grow its organization “Essentially, we went from a small company to to a level where it was capable to serve clients a big company, and the way in which we view factory in The Netherlands for an update.62 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • AUGUST 2014MR #8 (58-63).indd 62 MR #8 (58-63).indd 62 8/7/2014 3:47:16 PM8/7/2014 3:47:16 PM