ZF: “It is quite possible that after the Corona pandemic, customer-supplier relations will be realigned"

Sources at ZF explain “since the first time the virus spread in China, we have formed task forces to deal with this completely new situation. This has included maintaining our supply chains despite all the challenges, which means that we are kept supplied with parts and that we supply our customers reliably. From many years of experience, we already have a proven risk management system with strict monitoring. This includes being able to fall back on alternative suppliers and to support suppliers when needed. Our first task is to ensure an orderly production ramp-up and get the established supply chains back on track. Only when we have regained certain stability, such strategic questions will arise. We cannot answer them for ourselves alone, as our industry is closely connected”.

From the German multinational say “to maintain our supply chains and to be able to react quickly to short-term interruptions, we have established a network long ago to make use of alternative delivery options. In global crises such as the present one, in which the world economy comes to a virtual standstill almost simultaneously, even a more regional supplier structure brings only limited benefits. Although it is difficult to transport goods across borders, it still works – the problem is the extensive production stops. We have created uniform standards within the company which infection prevention measures we will apply when we resume production. Our risk monitoring system works. This has been shown not least by the fact that we could keep our supply chains stable until the end”.

For ZF “it is quite possible that after the Corona pandemic, customer-supplier relations will be realigned. But since we are still in the middle of the crisis, it is difficult to say which direction this will take".

ZF is paying attention to two aspects of this crisis... (Read the complete information in the next issue of AutoRevista nª 2.350. See also this information in Spanish in section Proveedores on our website).