UK: Moventas Acquires David Brown’s Wind Business, Strengthens Its Wind Footprint

Moventas Group has acquired Moventas’ sister company David Brown’s wind gearbox business and established a UK-based company that significantly strengthens Moventas’ wind gear manufacturing and service footprint. The new company continues Samsung Heavy Industries’ on-going, next generation 7 MW offshore turbine’s drivetrain development.

Moventas Group has acquired its Clyde Blowers owned sister company David Brown Gears System’s wind gear business along with David Brown’s UK-based production unit with test facilities, as well as a service workshop. The now established new company, David Brown Wind UK, joins the engineering and manufacturing forces of two world-leading, global wind gearbox specialists.

The new company continues David Brown’s on-going, significant 7 MW offshore turbine drivetrain development with Samsung Heavy Industries, announced in the beginning of 2012, and positions Moventas as the leading offshore wind drivetrain company. The new company  will be manufacturing the 7 MW gearboxes, with engineering and component supply from both UK and Finland.

The acquisition makes Moventas the world-leading multi-megawatt and offshore wind gearbox manufacturer. Added to the valuable Samsung cooperation, Moventas has existing offshore multi-megawatt gearbox technology for Areva  and the FusionDrive gear and generator combination for DSME/DeWind.

“We are very excited to be able to locally cater for the growing needs of what’s expected to be the no. 1 offshore wind market in the world within the next years. The great match between our wind business and that of David Brown’s enables a fast creation of added value to our customers,” says Moventas President & CEO Mikael Laine .

The acquisition also accelerates Moventas’ entry to the lucrative UK & Irish wind service market with an existing business and local workshop. This strengthens Moventas’ global leadership in wind gear service with Moventas’ service foothold also in the UK. David Brown has an established, well-equipped service center in Huddersfield.

David Brown’s wind industry staff of some 20 people will be working in close cooperation with their colleagues in Finland and globally, creating synergies in the areas of engineering, manufacturing and supply chain. The now acquired business will be called DB Wind UK, a Moventas Group company,  and continue to operate from Huddersfield, UK.

“Moventas is an established player in the global wind gearbox market but has lacked a UK presence. In advance of the significant growth planned in UK offshore wind business, it makes sense now for us to combine the two businesses. Doing so creates a leading global offshore wind drivetrain company with the scale and resources to serve its customers better,” comments Clyde Blowers and Moventas Chairman Jim McColl .

[mappress]

Press release, September 3, 2013