TRW

In 2002, aerospace company Northrop Grumman purchased TRW,[5] and subsequently sold the TRW's automotive division to private equity firm Blackstone Group for $4.73 billion. According to the final agreement, Blackstone owned 80.4% of the business, while Northrop Grumman acquired 19.6% of it. In a statement, John Plant, the CEO of TRW Automotive said, "The company is now 100 percent focused on the needs of automotive customers, and we have an exciting opportunity to capitalize on our position as the global leader in automotive safety."[4]

In 2009, TRW Automotive made net profit earnings of $76 million. The next year, the firm had a profit of $189 million, which was more than double than the previous year. According to Plant, that was a result of the industry recovery following the 2007-08 financial crisis and the company's venture into emerging markets.[6] On September 15, 2014, it was announced that German car parts maker ZF Friedrichshafen would buy TRW Automotive for approximately $13.5 billion including debt.[7][8] The takeover was completed on the 15th May 2015, and TRW Automotive now operates as part of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, as Division 'Active & Passive Safety Technology'.[9]