Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE  
Europese Commissie, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY,  1049 Brussel,   BELGIË  
 
Tel: +32 229 -91111. Fax: +32 229 -64301. E -mail: COMP -MERGER -REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu . 
  EUROPEAN COMMISSION  
Brussels, 14.12.2022  
C(2022 ) 9640 final  
PUBLIC VERSION  
ZF Friedrichshafen AG  
Löwentaler Str. 20  
88046 Friedrichshafen  
Germany  
 
HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA  
Rixbecker Str. 75  
59552 Lippstadt  
Germany  
 
NGK Spark Plug Europe GmbH  
Harkortstraße  41 
40880 Ratingen  
Germany  
 
Clarios Germany Holding GmbH  
Am Leineufer 51  
30419 Hannover  
Germany  
Subject : Case M. 10932  – ZF / HELLA / NGK / CLARIOS / AHEAD JV  
Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation 
(EC) No 139/20041 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European 
Economic Area2  
Dear Sir or Madam,  
1. On 22 November 2022 , the European Commission received notification of a proposed 
concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger Regulation  , by which the 
undertakings (i) ZF Friedrichshafen AG (“ZF”, Germany) , (ii) HELLA GmbH & Co. 
KGaA (“Hella”, Germany), belonging to the FORVIA group (France), (iii) NGK 
SPARK PLUG EUROPE GmbH (“NGK”, Germany), belonging to the NGK SPARK 
PLUG Group (Japan), and (iv) Clarios Germany GmbH & Co.  KG (“Clarios”, 
                                                 
1 OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 ( the ‘Merger Regulation ’). With effect from 1 December 2009,  the Treaty on 
the Functioning of the European Union ( ‘TFEU ’) has introduced certain changes, such as the 
replacement of ‘Community ’ by ‘Union ’ and ‘common market ’ by ‘internal market ’. The terminology 
of the TFEU will be used throughout this decision . 
2  OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p.  3 (the ‘EEA Agreement ’). 

2 Germany), belonging to the Clarios Group (United States), controlled by Brookfield 
Asset Management Inc. (Canada) , will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b)  
and 3(4)  of the Merger Regulation joint control of Ahead GmbH (“Ahead JV”)  by 
way of purchase of shares .3 
2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned  are the following : 
 ZF is a global technology company that develops, manufactures and distributes 
products and systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industri al 
technology , 
 Hella is an automotive parts supplier that is mainly active in the development and 
production of l ighting and electronic products. Hella also offers a broad portfolio 
of service s and product s for workshop  customers,  
 NGK manufactures and sells spark plugs and related products for internal 
combustion engines,  as well as sensors and ceramics for a wide range of 
applications , 
 Clarios is an automotive parts supplier active in the research, development, 
manufacturing, licensing , marketing and distribution of starter batteries for all 
kinds of vehicles and applications,  including passenger vehicles, trucks, and other 
motive applications.  
3. Ahead JV will offer repair services and digital solutions and programs to workshops 
and their mechanics in se lected parts of Europe , including a subscription -based 
“edutainement platform” and a loyalty program.  
4. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that 
the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger  Regulation  and of 
paragraph 5 (a) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of 
certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 .4 
5. For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European 
Commission has decided  not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it 
compatible with the internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is 
adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger  Regulation  and Article 57 of 
the EEA Agreement . 
For the Commission  
 
 
(Signed)  
Olivier GUERSENT  
Director -General  
 
                                                 
3  Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 454, 30.11.2022 , p. 115. 
4  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5 .