ZF Aftermarket returned to Automechanika Dubai 2025 with a renewed strategic intent, bringing together all its global brands under one roof for the first time at the Middle East’s largest automotive aftermarket platform. In an exclusive conversation with MOTORINDIA, André Scholle, Vice President and Head of Region India, Türkiye, MEA and CIS, underscored the region’s rising importance and ZF’s commitment to orchestrating the next phase of aftermarket transformation.
André opened by reinforcing Dubai’s growing relevance in ZF’s strategic roadmap. “Dubai is the centre of gravity in our region,” he stated, adding that while ZF’s earlier appearance at the show was limited to the legacy gearbox division, this year marks the first time the company has consolidated all its aftermarket brands at one destination. “With Dubai becoming more and more important as the location for the Automechanika show, it’s now the time to be present here ourselves.”
A Panoramic Product Showcase Across All Business Lines
ZF presented an extensive product and solutions portfolio designed for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial applications. This included large industrial gearboxes as well as the latest advancements from its digital business line.
“We try to display products from all our business lines,” André explained. “On top of that, we also inform about our new projects on the digital business line. Our colleagues from Scalar for our Bus Connect software are here, so we basically show our whole portfolio – and it’s a portfolio that not only fits internationally but also especially for this region.”
Targeting the Full Value Chain – A Mobility Uptime Vision
A key objective for ZF at Automechanika Dubai was to engage stakeholders across the entire aftermarket ecosystem. Referencing ZF’s global unveiling of its Mobility Uptime initiative in Frankfurt, André highlighted its core purpose: to become an orchestrator of industry transformation.
“It’s the multitude of brands that we carry, which is unique in the industry,” he said. “We’re targeting the whole value chain – distributors, retailers, workshops, fleets. We’re trying to get close to them in order to orchestrate the change that is happening in the aftermarket.”
He noted that the strong customer engagement seen in Frankfurt is now extending into the Middle East, Africa and India – geographies that are rapidly becoming essential growth engines for the global automotive aftermarket.
Middle East, Africa and India – The Rising Growth Arc
André emphasised a macro-shift in the global automotive landscape, with the centre of gravity moving away from Europe and towards the East.
“You see a shift of the centre of gravity outside Europe towards the East, and that includes India, Middle East, Africa and CIS,” he observed. “The growth will not happen in Europe in the future. It will happen in countries like here.”
He attributed this shift to new vehicle manufacturing powerhouses emerging in China and India, changing customer expectations, and the accelerated aftermarket potential across these regions.
A Strong, Diverse Visitor Footfall at Automechanika Dubai 2025
Reflecting on the show’s performance, André shared an optimistic view. “I’ve not seen it as crowded as yesterday,” he said. “It’s very well visited and also a very diverse audience. We have customers from India, Türkiye, Africa and across the Arab countries. It’s becoming more international. I am very satisfied so far.”
2025 Performance and a Confident Outlook for 2026
The aftermarket sector navigated a challenging landscape in 2025, impacted by geopolitical and economic constraints across several regions.
“2025 was a challenging year for the aftermarket,” André acknowledged. He pointed to disruptions ranging from the Russia–Ukraine conflict to the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz and stringent cash-release policies in Saudi Arabia.
However, ZF’s diversified portfolio and regional team structure give him confidence heading into 2026. “Will things change immediately? I don’t see that. But I have high hopes for our business overall because we’re diversifying. We have the right customer set-up and the right team, especially here in the Middle East, to overcome these obstacles. Bottom line – I’m very confident for 2026.”
