TRW: from Cleveland bolts to safety systems now inside ZF

History

TRW's roots go back to 1901, when the Cleveland Cap Screw Company was founded in Cleveland, making bolts. Under Charles E. Thompson, the company shifted to producing engine valves, and by 1915 it was already the largest valve manufacturer in the United States. Over time, through a series of mergers and name changes, it grew into a diversified technology conglomerate operating as TRW Inc., with a significant automotive division.

In 2002 the automotive division was sold to the Blackstone Group and in 2003 organised as a standalone company, TRW Automotive, headquartered in Livonia, Michigan. It was this company that developed airbags, power steering, and electronic stability control, although in 2013 as much as 63 percent of its revenue came from suspension, steering and braking systems, with only 21 percent from airbags and seatbelts. In 2015, TRW Automotive was acquired by Germany's ZF Friedrichshafen for $13.5 billion, and from 2016 it was fully integrated into ZF's structure.

What TRW makes

Historically TRW was associated with airbags and seatbelts, but the majority of its revenue always came from suspension, steering and braking systems. Today, as a brand within ZF Aftermarket, TRW focuses primarily on suspension and steering components (tie rods, tie-rod ends, bearings) and braking components (discs, pads, calipers).

Buying TRW parts

Although TRW has not existed as an independent company since 2015, the brand survives as part of the ZF Aftermarket range, retaining its specialisation in suspension, steering and braking systems. Buying suspension parts or brakes badged TRW draws on technology and quality standards that were previously supplied directly to carmakers as original equipment, and are now developed further within the ZF group.