Promoted by H K Firodia, J H Munot and Zahnradfabrik-Freindrichshafen, Germany, Z F Steering Gear (India) (ZFSGIL) belongs to the Kinetic group, and manufactures, assembles and deals in mechanical steering gears (cap. : 1,50,000 pa), hydraulic power steering gears (cap. : 36,000 pa) and other types of steerings, gear boxes and designs including bevel gears, spur gears, crown wheels, etc. The company has its plant at Village Vadu Budruk, Maharashtra. The German collaborator has a 26% stake in the company. The company's steering gears find application in buses and are supplied to various state transport undertakings and also to heavy vehicles like dumper and haulage trucks. Buses fitted with power steering gears reduce the drivers' effort and fatigue to steer the vehicle and adds to their safety. The original collaborators of the company, ZF Friedrichshfan AG, Germany (ZFG) formed a joint venture with Robert Bosch, GmbH(Bosch) and have established a separate company - ZF LENKSYSTEME GmbH (ZFLS) - which is jointly managed by ZF and Bosch and in which both these partners hold 50% stake each. The steering gear business of the partner has been transferred to this new joint venture company. Consequently, the investment in the shares of ZFGIL, held by ZFG, has now been transferred to ZF Beteiligungsholding GmbH (ZFBG) which will be fully controlled by ZFLS, the joint venture company. The shares were transferred to ZFBG after necessary government approvals. Similarly, all rights and obligations of ZFG under the technical collaboration agreement with ZF India have been transferred to ZFLS. During 1998-99, Company was awarded renewal of ISO 9001 Certificate for further period of 3 years.