ZF Gray Court success story Innovating for the automotive industry
ZF is a global technology company that supplies mobility products and systems to vehicle manufacturers, mobility providers and transportation companies. The ZF Gray Court plant is the manufacturing site for the company’s 8-speed automatic transmission as well as the world’s first 9-speed automatic transmission and other next generation mobility technologies. As a major supplier for companies such as BMW, ZF Gray Court strengthens South Carolina’s automotive sector and helps power vehicles worldwide.
Growing to shape the future
ZF initially intended to make a $350 million investment in its Laurens County facility, creating 900 new jobs. Within the first five years, more than $275 million in expansion projects were announced to extend the company’s footprint and deliver efficiency-enhancing products for North America. The company’s most recent project was a $500 million expansion to build next generation propulsion systems.
Now employing more than 2,400 people, the Laurens County facility is the largest ZF production plant in the US and the company’s first North American flex manufacturing site that supports traditional ICE and e-mobility technologies for both passenger cars and commercial vehicles.
South Carolina investing in automotive
Maintaining a competitive automotive sector is very important to our state. Suppliers like ZF Gray Court form the fabric of the automotive industry landscape, and we’re proud to play a part in their success. As the company has grown, the Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits, a RIF grant of $2 million and a $1.2 million set-aside grant for land acquisition, plus a $15 million Closing Fund grant to assist with the costs of building improvements. The state also offered a grant for site improvements and readySC™ training funds to help secure a skilled workforce.
This is ZF’s first step to ensure ZF Gray Court remains a critical part of our major e-mobility transformation in North America and globally. Having the capability to produce the propulsion systems of today, and e-mobility products of tomorrow, under one US roof and in South Carolina, is critical to serving our customers globally.
ZF Transmissions
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