24.11.2010 Friedrichshafen, Germany & Grosbliederstroff, France. ZF has acquired Fonderie Lorraine, the French subsidiary of insolvent automotive supplier Honsel AG, based in Germany’s Sauerland region. For the approximately 500 French employees of the die-casting specialist, it will initially be business as usual. “By making this acquisition, we’ve managed to secure the supply chain for our automatic transmissions,” explained Dr. Gerhard Wagner, head of ZF’s Car Driveline Technology Division in Saarbrücken.

Anticipating a turnover of roughly €45 million for the current financial year (2010/2011), the Honsel subsidiary Fonderie Lorraine S.A.S. primarily supplies light-alloy internal transmission parts and housings to German and French automotive manufacturers and suppliers. Located in the French town of Grosbliederstroff on the Saar River and a 10 km beeline from the ZF transmission plant in Saarbrücken, Fonderie Lorraine currently earns about 90 percent of its turnover from its principle customer, ZF.

“This year’s very sharp rise in demand for our new 8-speed automatic transmissions has led to ZF itself accounting for a large portion of France’s light-alloy foundry utilization,” said Dr. Wagner. “By acquiring Fonderie Lorraine, we have on the one hand guaranteed our capacity to supply our passenger car customers. On the other hand, it means that the foundry’s other customers will also continue to be supplied as usual.”

Honsel AG and ZF Friedrichshafen AG have mutually chosen to keep the purchase price of Fonderie Lorraine confidential.

Press contact:

Andreas Veil
Manager Business Press
Phone: +49 (0)170-9198465
Fax: +49 7541 77-907925
andreas.veil@zf.com