A man packs the electronic parking brakes at ZF's Wuhan plant on Oct 15. LI KUI/FOR CHINA DAILY
The Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone has emerged as a powerful magnet for foreign enterprises, attracting increased investment and enhancing its status as a pivotal strategic hub for global companies.
German auto parts supplier ZF's Lifetec, a global leader in passive automotive safety systems, hosted the 2025 global supplier conference on Oct 21 in the zone. It attracted 200 auto suppliers from China and abroad, along with nearly 500 industry representatives.
It marked the first time for ZF Lifetec, specializing in airbags, seat belt systems, and steering wheel systems, to host such a high-profile event in China.
"Wuhan, with its vibrant industrial ecosystem and profound cultural heritage, serves as an ideal platform for in-depth industry exchanges," said Michael Eisenbarth, chief operating officer of ZF Lifetec.
ZF Lifetec's Wuhan base boasts a superior geographical location and a convenient transport network, he said.
Spanning a total area of 66,000 square meters, it is ZF Lifetec's largest airbag production base in the Asia-Pacific region.
The company has also established a 3,000-sq-m R&D laboratory in Wuhan. Equipped with more than 60 sets of advanced equipment, it functions as one of ZF Lifetec's key global testing centers.
"We sincerely appreciate the Wuhan local government for its long-term, all-round and strong support for the construction, operation and development of ZF Lifetec's Wuhan factory," Eisenbarth said. "From policy guidance and resource coordination to business environment optimization, such support has provided a robust driving force for our steady development in Wuhan."
Tang Chao, director of the management committee at WEDZ, said that ZF has set multiple records in Auto Valley within the zone. The company's passive safety project took only eight months from signing to production, and its active safety project took less than a year.
Over the past five years, ZF has reinvested in the zone three times, expanding its business layout.
The latest result was the opening of a new brake system factory on Oct 18.
It is recognized as a "benchmark plant", meeting national green factory standards through its sustainable design.
The advanced facility, equipped with smart meters for energy monitoring and robots for efficient navigation, expands capacity for electronic parking brake systems. To meet the demands of the growing new energy vehicle market, it plans to introduce next-generation brake-by-wire caliper production.
Over the past 14 years, ZF has transformed its Wuhan operations from a single brake production site into a core Asia-Pacific brake component base. It has integrated into the local automotive supply chain and innovation ecosystem, becoming a representative of Hubei province's high-end manufacturing on the global stage.
Renee Wang, executive vice-president of ZF Group, president of ZF China and Operation Asia Pacific, said: "WEDZ offers a robust industrial and supply chain that fuels the high-quality development of local enterprises. ZF will continue to deepen strategic collaborations, introducing cutting-edge processes and innovative technologies to enhance the global reach of intelligent braking technology 'Made in WEDZ'."
ZF is not alone. French auto parts supplier Valeo has been in the zone since 1995, later establishing its lighting company, software center, and its largest global R&D center there.
Initially focusing on automotive lighting system R&D, Valeo has expanded its research scope to include autonomous driving, human-machine interfaces, and automotive connectivity.
Over the past three decades, Valeo has invested in the zone four times. Its Wuhan plants house the world's most advanced, fastest and highly digitalized automated headlamp production line, with one headlamp rolling off the line every 36 seconds.
In June, Valeo's lighting company signed an agreement with WEDZ to build a new production line at its second Wuhan factory, dedicated to the R&D and manufacturing of high-end NEV lamps.
This expansion is aimed at continuously increasing production capacity and expanding market reach, which is expected to boost the output value of Valeo's lighting business.
"Aligning with the development trend of NEVs and intelligent connected vehicles in China, we will develop and implement more new technologies locally while continuing to increase investment and expand production capacity," said Zhang Feng, president of Valeo Lighting Systems (China).
Additionally, the company has attracted 33 component companies to the area, collectively fostering an innovative ecosystem for the automotive industry in Hubei.
The United States-based power technology provider, Cummins, entered WEDZ in 2005 by co-founding the Cummins East Asia Research and Development Center with Dongfeng Motor. It marked China's first Sino-foreign diesel engine R&D institution.
Cummins has made successive investments in the zone, which include establishing a fuel systems plant and a power generation plant.
Its fuel system Wuhan plant, founded in 2007 in WEDZ, is one of Cummins' five major global fuel system production bases. Also, it is the company's first integrated provider of production, R&D, and sales fuel system solution outside its headquarters.
Cummins Power Generation, established in the zone in 2009, is one of the Cummins' five global standard power generation production bases. The products delivered from this facility not only meet the demands of the Chinese market but are sold overseas.
Over the years, the plant has made additional investments in smart and digital upgrades to enhance production capacity. As a result, the company has expanded its product range and increased revenue nearly 20-fold, with annual output rising from $20 million to $400 million.
