ZF LIFETEC Rizhao Integrated Airbag Project Officially Begins

According to the latest news, on August 12, ZF LIFETEC held the groundbreaking ceremony for the Phase III project of its Rizhao base—the One-Piece Woven (OPW) airbag project—in the Rizhao Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shandong Province.

Image source: ZF LIFETEC

The OPW project is planned to cover an area of approximately 15,000 square meters. The preliminary work, including land leveling, design planning, and engineering interfacing, has been completed. The project is expected to be fully operational by 2027. Once completed, the Rizhao base will have an annual production capacity of over five million OPW airbag units, significantly enhancing ZF LIFETEC's product supply capability to the Asia-Pacific and global markets.

From a market perspective, relevant forecasts show that the global passive automotive safety products market has a compound annual growth rate of approximately 4%, while the compound annual growth rate for airbags reaches as high as 8.9%, nearly three times that of overall vehicle growth. Against this market trend, ZF LIFETEC’s early deployment is expected to help it seize market opportunities and consolidate its industry position.

As an industry expert specializing in passive safety systems, ZF LIFETEC has established two phases of production bases in Rizhao since its establishment there in 2022. Its products cover airbag cushions and steering wheels, serving major global automakers.

The commencement of the OPW project aims to address the growing global demand for high-performance airbag bags while further building an independent and controllable agile supply chain system. By expanding investment in China, ZF LIFETEC will further align with local customer needs, shorten the cycle from research and development to mass production, and strengthen cooperation with Chinese local brands and new energy vehicle companies to jointly explore innovative applications of intelligent safety systems.

Song Ninghua, Head of ZF LIFETEC Asia Pacific, stated: "The OPW project is a key step in ZF LIFETEC's strategic layout in China. We will use Rizhao as a pivot to extend our reach to the Asia Pacific and global markets, providing customers with more efficient and intelligent automotive safety solutions."