Voith
Encyclopedia
The Voith GmbH, which is headquartered in Germany
, is a family-run corporation in the mechanical engineering sector with worldwide operations.
The Voith Corporate Group is led by the Voith GmbH headquarters in Heidenheim, located in the German State
of Baden-Württemberg
. Here, the headquarters serves as a management-holding
, with the executive board establishing general business strategies, taking overall responsibility for the groups operations, and providing support to the group’s affiliate companies.
The Voith GmbH has nearly 40,000 employees worldwide, with 4,500 working at its Heidenheim facility. For the 2009/10 business year, the consolidated group had revenues of €5.2 billion
, profits of €121 million and a new order volume of €5.3 billion.
, protective and specialised papers (decorative paper, thermal paper
, cigarette paper, tissue paper
) as well as graphic papers, sanitary papers and paperboard
. Worldwide, one third of the global paper production is performed on Voith Paper production systems.
Management: Voith Paper Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Heidenheim, Germany. Divisions: Fiber & Environmental Solutions, Paper Machines, Fabric and Roll Systems, and Automation.
Revenues (2009/10): aprx. €1.7 billion
Employees: 9,353
Percentage of total group revenues: 33%
Products: Fiber & Environmental Solutions
Paper Machines: Process solution
s for the production of graphic papers, board & packaging papers, tissue, specialty papers
Automation: Complete systems for new and existing machines, as well as solutions for upgrades and rebuilds
Fabric & Roll Systems: The Fabric & Roll Systems Division provides forming press and dryer fabrics, as well as press sleeves; roll covers and coatings; service for complex rolls, cylinders and components; on-site service; measuring technology; diagnostic solutions; and roll design and optimization
between Voith and Siemens
, which is now a leading complete-system supplier for hydropower
stations. Currently, a third of the world’s hydroelectric power is produced with turbine
s and generators
from Voith Hydro including major projects such as: Niagara Falls
(1903), Itaipu (1976), and Three Gorges Dam
(2003)
Management: Voith Hydro GmbH & Co. KG, Heidenheim, Germany
Divisions: Large Scale Projects, Small Hydro, Control and Automation Technologies, Integrated Service
Revenues (2009/10): aprx. €1.2 billion
Employees: 5,238
Percentage of total group revenues: 22%
Products
systems. Worldwide, these systems are used in industrial plants, as well as in road and rail vehicles. In the field of turbo-transmission
, Voith Turbo-Transmissions is the world’s market leader. The Voith Retarder
, is one of the best known hydrodynamic braking systems and is found in many utility vehicles. In addition, other Voith drive systems, such as the Voith Schneider Propeller, are used by marine vessels.
Management: Voith Turbo GmbH & Co. KG, Heidenheim, Germany
Divisions: Industrial, Road, Rail, Marine, and Trading
Revenues (2008/09): aprx. €1.3 billion
Employees: 5,422
Percentage of total group revenues: 26%
Products
In 2005 Voith Turbo started production of its Voith Maxima
and Voith Gravita
series of locomotives; transitioning from a component supplier to a full vehicle supplier.. On 23 December 2008, the Voith Maxima - 40 C' C' diesel locomotive was officially approved for traffic by the German Federal Railway Authority.
, technical cleaning, engineering, industrial assembly, facility management and process management
. These services are provided through Voith's subsidiary companies: DIW Deutsche Industriewartung AG, the Premier Group, and Hörmann Industrial Technologies.
Management: Voith Industrial Services Holding GmbH, Heidenheim, Germany. Divisions: Facility Service, Process Service
Revenues (2008/09): aprx. €1,0 billion
Employees: 19,119
Percentage of total group revenues: 19%
Facility services: On-site facility management, technical cleaning and maintenance of production systems – for all major industrial sectors.
Process services: Comprehensive production processing services tailored to individual industries, including: production planning, engineering, assembly, maintenance and the modernization of machinery or production systems.
In the mid-19th century, Johann Matthäus Voith began developing spinning machines, wool reprocessing machines and printing press
es. In 1848, he began working with the Heidenheim paper producer Heinrich Voelter
(1817–1887), with the common goal of mass producing paper via a new method using wood pulp
processing. Here, Johann Matthäus Voith refined this new process, and in 1859 he created the first "Raffineur", a machine that refined the raw wood pulp and thereby significantly improved the quality of paper products. When his son Friedrich Voith (1840–1913) eventually took over the company, it had 30 employees.
paper mill, and improving the design of the original Raffineur. In 1869, he was awarded his first patent
for this new design. The new pulp processing machine further enhanced the quality of paper, making large scale production possible and laying the cornerstone for modern newspaper publishing.
At about the same time, Friedrich Voith decided to begin working on water-driven turbine
s, and in 1870, the first Voith turbine was delivered. In 1873, the first Francis turbine
was produced, and in the same year Friedrich Voith was awarded a Medal of Achievement for his innovations at the World Fair in Vienna. Thereafter, Voith decided to move beyond the production of individual components for paper machines. In 1881, he built a new machining plant, the Maschinenfabrik J. M. Voith, and he delivered the first complete paper-making machine to his customer Raitelhuber, Bezner & Cie. in Gemmrigheim, Germany.
By the end of the 19th century, Friedrich Voith was busy developing new business contacts in Europe and overseas. His company, now offered machinery covering the entire spectrum of paper
production and it was the market leader. In recognition of his accomplishments, in 1890, King Karl I of Württemberg selected Voith to join his economic council. Later in 1903, Friedrich Voith founded the first Voith subsidiary in St. Pölten, Austria. At the time of Friedrich Voith's death in 1913, his production plants in Heidenheim and St. Pölten employed over 3,000 people - including his three sons, Walther, Hermann and Hanns, who also worked in different parts of the company.
Walther Voith took charge of the St. Pölten plant with 230 employees. Hermann Voith managed the overall commercial affairs from the Heidenheim factory, and Hanns headed the technical department in Heidenheim. Together, they expanded the company’s role in industrial drive technologies, and in 1929 Voith produced the first hydrodynamic coupling and transmission using the Föttinger Principle.
, Hannes Voith and Hugo Rupf, who served as Executive Board Chairman, then launched the company into a new phase of growth. Under Hanns Voith's leadership, the development and construction of paper-making machines reached a new record. Voith also began its international expansion, investments in other businesses were made, and some company take-overs occurred. A milestone during this period was the founding of the Voith S.A. in Sao Paulo
, Brazil, in 1964. Shortly afterwards, Hanns Voith died on 7 January 1971.
in the former Kingdom of Württemberg
. In 1825, Johann Matthäus Voith took over this workshop from his father Johannes, which employed five craftsmen, and made tooling and spare parts for local mills. The same site used by the original workshop is now the home of the Voith GmbH Headquarters.
In the mid-19th century, Johann Matthäus Voith began developing machinery for spinning
mills, wool re-processing and printing presses. In 1848, he began working with the Heidenheim paper producer Heinrich Voelter (1817–1887), with the common goal of mass producing paper. At that time, series production of paper had failed due to the lack of rag-fiber which was used as the raw material. Wood however, being a plentiful renewable resource, was seen as an alternative. The very first patent for producing paper from wood pulp
was awarded to Heinrich Voelter and Friedrich Gottlob Keller in 1846. Johann Matthäus Voith studied that patent, and then dramatically improved Keller’s design. As a result, the first Raffineur was born in 1859 – a machine that significantly refined raw wood pulp and therefore greatly improved the quality of paper.
, Voith machines were available for every stage of the paper-making process.
During the same timeframe, Voith began working on turbine
s. By 1879, the first Voith turbine regulator had been built, based on the designs from Adolf Pfarr, and it proved to be a decisive step for the generation of electricity through the force of water. By 1890, Voith had even begun deliveries of a high-pressure open-jet turbine. And in the same year, Friedrich Voith was named by King Karl I of Württemberg to join his council of commercial advisors in recognition of his successful business achievements. At the company's 25th anniversary in 1892, 330 people were employed by Voith, and it was one of the largest companies in the Kingdom of Württemberg.
The first Voith subsidiary, located in St. Pölten, Austria
, was founded in 1903, and in that same year, Voith received the largest order in its history: Voith was to build the world's largest water turbines, having 12000 hp, for the Niagara Falls Hydroelectric Power Station. This project turned out to be a milestone for both the company as well as for the history of hydroelectric power.
After World War I
, the three brothers decided to expand the company and to concentrate on drive technologies. By 1922, Voith had begun building transmission gear assemblies, based on its fluid-dynamics know-how gained from previous turbine projects. This turned out to be yet another breakthrough, which was achieved with the aid of Hermann Föttinger, and his pioneering research on hydrodynamic energy transfers. In that same year, the first Kaplan turbine
was produced by Voith, being named for its inventor Viktor Kaplan
.
By 1929, the first Voith hydrodynamic couplings based on the Föttinger Principle were in use at the Herdecke pumped-storage hydropower station. Thereafter, similar transmissions for road and rail vehicles were developed. At the same time, the company became known for the hydrodynamic drives and transmissions that it supplied to industrial production facilities. In addition, Voith launched a new product, the Voith Schneider Propeller
(VSP) for commercial vessels, which would make the company famous worldwide in the coming decades. This new marine drive could significantly improve the manoeuvrability of a ship
, being invented by the Vienna engineer Ernst Schneider, and enhanced by Voith.
After successful sea trials on the test boat Torqueo, in 1937, the first Voith Schneider Propellers were put into operation in the narrow canals of Venice, Italy. During the 1937 World Fair
in Paris, Voith was awarded the grand prize – three times – for its exhibition of Voith Schneider Propellers and Voith turbo-transmissions. A year later, two of Paris' fire-fighting boats started operating with the new VSP system.
Following the death of Hermann Voith, Hanns Voith led the company in 1942. Later on 24 April 1945, when American troops occupied Heidenheim, it was Hanns Voith who personally surrendered the city to the US Army. During World War II
, 600 of the company's 4,000 employees had either been killed or were missing.
in 1947. Then major orders started pouring in: In 1949 eight Voith Schneider Propellers went to the United Africa Company
, 46 Voith turbo-transmissions were shipped to Brazil
, and in 1951, a new paper-making machine was delivered to the Netherlands
. At the same time, Voith's new triple-converter transmission for motorised railcars, and its DIWA bus
transmissions
made Voith the market leader in drive technology. In 1953, Voith produced Europe's fastest newsprint paper machine for the Feldmühle AG: running at speeds of 600 metre/min, and producing up to 200 ton
s of newsprint
each day. At the 1958 World's Fair in Brussels, Voith was awarded a gold medal for developing the first turbo-transmission for the diesel-hydraulic locomotives of the Deutsche Bundesbahn
(German Railways).
Throughout the 1960s
, Voith rapidly expanded to become an internationally active corporation. In 1962, Voith participated on Europe's largest pumped-storage hydroelectric power station in Vianden
, Luxembourg
, by supplying two spiral turbines, four storage pumps, and two pump turbines. For years later, Voith set another record by delivering the widest newsprint machine in the world to Sweden
. Between 1962 and 1966, the company also made major investments in the Indian company Utkal Machinery Ltd., and the Spanish company Talleres de Tolosa. Voith also took over the tooling and paper machine manufacturer Dörries, as well as founding new sales offices in Great Britain and France. In addition, a new subsidiary was founded in Brazil in 1964: the Voith S.A. in São Paulo.
In the 1970s
, Voith developed its centrimatic clutch, and the R130 retarder for buses and utility vehicles. In the USA, Voith founded a subsidiary in Appleton, Wisconsin
in 1974, and also became the major shareholder of Morden Machines in Portland, Oregon
. Two years later, Voith founded its first Japanese subsidiary. Following the death of Hanns Voith, Hugo Rupf became the company's Managing Director in 1971, and in 1973, he became the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Following the acquisition of Appleton Mills, USA in 1983, Voith entered the market for paper machine clothing. In addition, Voith took over the hydropower operations of the US market leader Allis Chalmers in York, Pennsylvania
. Within a few years, Voith expanded its US workforce from 200 to 1,300. In 1985, Voith also entered the India, establishing a production plant in Hyderabad.
In the 1990s
, Voith began to expand its operations in the Far East, concentrating on China
. In 1994, Voith supplied the turbines for the world's largest pumped storage hydroelectric power station at Guangzhou
II. And two years later, Voith received the contract to build the world's largest fine paper machine in Dagang. In Kunshan
and Liaoyang
, China, the company also opened new production plants in 1996.
Under the leadership of Michael Rogowski, who had been Voith's spokesman since 1986, the company was reorganised, and it became a management-holding, with independently operating commercial sectors. In the following years, Voith's technical masterpieces were the introduction of the R 115 integrated retarder in 1988, and the commissioning of the largest European deinking facility in Schongau in 1989.
In 1994, Voith and the Swiss company, Sulzer
, merged their technical paper production activities and in 1999 Voith acquired the technical paper-making operations of the British
company, Scapa
- thereby became the leader in machine clothing technologies. The next year, the Voith Siemens
Hydro Power Generation was founded as a joint venture
between the two international leaders in turbine and generator technologies.
In 2000, Voith's leadership also changed hands, with Michael Rogowski handing over the company's operational responsibilities to Hermut Kormann. Under his leadership, Voith has become a worldwide, family-run company - with orders totaling €4 billion, and a workforce of 34,000 people. A key development has been Voith's entry into the field of technical industrial service. By assuming the controlling interest in the DIW Deutsche Industriewartung AG, Stuttgart, the cornerstone was laid for the new commercial division: Voith Industrial Services. In past years, this division has seen considerable growth and other acquisitions
have also followed, including: The Imo-Hüther Group, the US Premier Group and Hörmann Industrial Technologies.
In May 2006, the new Voith Paper Technology Center was opened in Heidenheim. In Scotland
, Voith's subsidiary Wavegen
introduced the first wave-driven generator that can supply electricity to a local power grid.
On October 1, 2010 the holding company changed its legal form from Aktiengesellschaft
(AG) to GmbH.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, is a family-run corporation in the mechanical engineering sector with worldwide operations.
The Voith Corporate Group is led by the Voith GmbH headquarters in Heidenheim, located in the German State
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
of Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
. Here, the headquarters serves as a management-holding
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
, with the executive board establishing general business strategies, taking overall responsibility for the groups operations, and providing support to the group’s affiliate companies.
The Voith GmbH has nearly 40,000 employees worldwide, with 4,500 working at its Heidenheim facility. For the 2009/10 business year, the consolidated group had revenues of €5.2 billion
1000000000 (number)
1,000,000,000 is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001.In scientific notation, it is written as 109....
, profits of €121 million and a new order volume of €5.3 billion.
Corporate organisation
The Voith Group consists of four commercial sectors: Voith Paper, Voith Hydro, Voith Turbo, and Voith Industrial Services. Overall management of the group is provided by the Voith GmbH executive board which serves a management-holding, being supported by a stockholder committee as well as a supervisory board. After recently buying out Premier Manufacturing Support Services, Voith has expanded into the US Auto manufacturing industry as a contractor to Toyota Motor Manufacturing.Voith Paper
Voith Paper is a leading supplier in the international paper industry, supporting all aspects of the paper-making process from fibers to end products. Voith Paper's product portfolio includes machines for newsprint paperNewsprint
Newsprint is a low-cost, non-archival paper most commonly used to print newspapers, and other publications and advertising material. It usually has an off-white cast and distinctive feel. It is designed for use in printing presses that employ a long web of paper rather than individual sheets of...
, protective and specialised papers (decorative paper, thermal paper
Thermal paper
Thermal paper is a special fine paper that is coated with a chemical that changes color when exposed to heat. It is used in thermal printers and particularly in inexpensive or lightweight devices such as adding machines, cash registers, and credit card terminals.The surface of the paper is coated...
, cigarette paper, tissue paper
Tissue paper
Tissue paper is a lightweight paper or, light crêpe paper. Tissue can be made both from virgin and recycled paper pulp.-Properties:Key properties are: strength, absorbency, basis weight, thickness , brightness, stretch, appearance and comfort....
) as well as graphic papers, sanitary papers and paperboard
Paperboard
Paperboard is a thick paper based material. While there is no rigid differentiation between paper and paperboard, paperboard is generally thicker than paper. According to ISO standards, paperboard is a paper with a basis weight above 224 g/m2, but there are exceptions. Paperboard can be single...
. Worldwide, one third of the global paper production is performed on Voith Paper production systems.
Management: Voith Paper Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Heidenheim, Germany. Divisions: Fiber & Environmental Solutions, Paper Machines, Fabric and Roll Systems, and Automation.
Revenues (2009/10): aprx. €1.7 billion
Employees: 9,353
Percentage of total group revenues: 33%
Products: Fiber & Environmental Solutions
Paper Machines: Process solution
Solution
In chemistry, a solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of only one phase. In such a mixture, a solute is dissolved in another substance, known as a solvent. The solvent does the dissolving.- Types of solutions :...
s for the production of graphic papers, board & packaging papers, tissue, specialty papers
Automation: Complete systems for new and existing machines, as well as solutions for upgrades and rebuilds
Fabric & Roll Systems: The Fabric & Roll Systems Division provides forming press and dryer fabrics, as well as press sleeves; roll covers and coatings; service for complex rolls, cylinders and components; on-site service; measuring technology; diagnostic solutions; and roll design and optimization
Voith Hydro
Voith Hydro (former Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation) is a joint ventureJoint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
between Voith and Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
, which is now a leading complete-system supplier for hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
stations. Currently, a third of the world’s hydroelectric power is produced with turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
s and generators
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
from Voith Hydro including major projects such as: Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
(1903), Itaipu (1976), and Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in the Yiling District of Yichang, in Hubei province, China...
(2003)
Management: Voith Hydro GmbH & Co. KG, Heidenheim, Germany
Divisions: Large Scale Projects, Small Hydro, Control and Automation Technologies, Integrated Service
Revenues (2009/10): aprx. €1.2 billion
Employees: 5,238
Percentage of total group revenues: 22%
Products
- Comprehensive equipment for hydroelectric power stations: Francis turbineFrancis turbineThe Francis turbine is a type of water turbine that was developed by James B. Francis in Lowell, Massachusetts. It is an inward-flow reaction turbine that combines radial and axial flow concepts....
, Pelton turbine and Kaplan turbineKaplan turbineThe Kaplan turbine is a propeller-type water turbine which has adjustable blades. It was developed in 1913 by the Austrian professor Viktor Kaplan, who combined automatically adjusted propeller blades with automatically adjusted wicket gates to achieve efficiency over a wide range of flow and...
s, as well as pump turbines. - Generators or generator-motor units for all turbine types, sensor and diagnostic systems, frequency converters, safety systems, switching systems for all voltages and transformers. Automated operations and control systems for power stations, remote control stations, optimization and diagnostic systems.
- Consulting, engineering, assembly and commissioning. Servicing and modernization of existing hydroelectric power stations. Storage pumps, as well as radial, semi-axial and axial flow pumps.
Voith Turbo
Voith Turbo specialises in mechanical, hydrodynamic, electric and electronic propulsion, as well as brakingBrake
A brake is a mechanical device which inhibits motion. Its opposite component is a clutch. The rest of this article is dedicated to various types of vehicular brakes....
systems. Worldwide, these systems are used in industrial plants, as well as in road and rail vehicles. In the field of turbo-transmission
Turbo-transmission
Turbo-Transmissions are hydrodynamic, multi-stage drive assemblies designed for rail vehicles using internal combustion engines. The first turbo-transmission was developed in 1932 by Voith in Heidenheim, Germany...
, Voith Turbo-Transmissions is the world’s market leader. The Voith Retarder
Retarder (mechanical engineering)
A retarder is a device used to augment or replace some of the functions of primary friction-based braking systems, usually on heavy vehicles....
, is one of the best known hydrodynamic braking systems and is found in many utility vehicles. In addition, other Voith drive systems, such as the Voith Schneider Propeller, are used by marine vessels.
Management: Voith Turbo GmbH & Co. KG, Heidenheim, Germany
Divisions: Industrial, Road, Rail, Marine, and Trading
Revenues (2008/09): aprx. €1.3 billion
Employees: 5,422
Percentage of total group revenues: 26%
Products
- Industrial products: Hydrodynamic couplingCouplingA coupling is a device used to connect two shafts together at their ends for the purpose of transmitting power. Couplings do not normally allow disconnection of shafts during operation, however there are torque limiting couplings which can slip or disconnect when some torque limit is exceeded.The...
es, adjustable hydrodynamic couplings, adjustable planetary gearing Vorecon , torque-converters, mechanical couplings, hydrostatic components, Hirth spur gearing, high-duty universal shafts, safety couplings, elastic couplings, control systems for steam and gas turbines. - Road products: Automatic transmissions for buses, hydrodynamic retarders and shock absorbers for buses and utility vehicles.
- Rail products: Drive systems for rail vehicles such as turbo-transmissions, bogie transmissions, anti-slip differentials, universal shafts, cooling systems, Scharfenberg couplings (automatic, semi-permanent) as well as bumpers and locomotive technologies.
- Marine products: Voith Schneider Propellers, Voith Water Tractors, Voith Cycloidal Rudders, Voith Turbo Fins, and Voith Water Jets.
In 2005 Voith Turbo started production of its Voith Maxima
Voith Maxima
The Voith Maxima locomotives are a new family of diesel-hydraulic locomotives built by Voith Turbo Lokomotivtechnik GmbH & Co. KG., a subsidiary of Voith. According to Voith, the Maxima 40CC is the most powerful single-engined diesel-hydraulic locomotive in the world, rated at 3,600 kW...
and Voith Gravita
Voith Gravita
The Voith Gravita locomotives are a new family of diesel-hydraulic locomotives built by Voith Turbo Lokomotivtechnik GmbH & Co. KG.. Available in a range of configurations from 2 to 4 axle they are designed for shunting and light and medium freight operations....
series of locomotives; transitioning from a component supplier to a full vehicle supplier.. On 23 December 2008, the Voith Maxima - 40 C' C' diesel locomotive was officially approved for traffic by the German Federal Railway Authority.
Voith Industrial Services
Voith Industrial Services is one of the leading suppliers of technical services covering: Industrial maintenanceMaintenance, Repair and Operations
Maintenance, repair, and operations or maintenance, repair, and overhaul involves fixing any sort of mechanical or electrical device should it become out of order or broken...
, technical cleaning, engineering, industrial assembly, facility management and process management
Process management
Process management is the ensemble of activities of planning and monitoring the performance of a process. The term usually refers to the management of business processes and manufacturing processes...
. These services are provided through Voith's subsidiary companies: DIW Deutsche Industriewartung AG, the Premier Group, and Hörmann Industrial Technologies.
Management: Voith Industrial Services Holding GmbH, Heidenheim, Germany. Divisions: Facility Service, Process Service
Revenues (2008/09): aprx. €1,0 billion
Employees: 19,119
Percentage of total group revenues: 19%
Facility services: On-site facility management, technical cleaning and maintenance of production systems – for all major industrial sectors.
Process services: Comprehensive production processing services tailored to individual industries, including: production planning, engineering, assembly, maintenance and the modernization of machinery or production systems.
Johann Matthäus Voith
In 1825, Johann Matthäus Voith (1803–1874) took over the machining workshop with five craftsmen from his father Johannes in Heidenheim, Germany, which today is still the site of Voith's headquarters. In the original workshop, tooling and spare parts were produced for local paper and textile mills.In the mid-19th century, Johann Matthäus Voith began developing spinning machines, wool reprocessing machines and printing press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
es. In 1848, he began working with the Heidenheim paper producer Heinrich Voelter
Heinrich Voelter
Heinrich Voelter was a German inventor and paper manufacturer.Heinrich Voelter grew up in Heidenheim and attended elementary school there, where he was taught by his grandfather. At age 14, he began an apprenticeship at a Heidenheim weaver shop...
(1817–1887), with the common goal of mass producing paper via a new method using wood pulp
Wood pulp
Pulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibres from wood, fibre crops or waste paper. Wood pulp is the most common raw material in papermaking.-History:...
processing. Here, Johann Matthäus Voith refined this new process, and in 1859 he created the first "Raffineur", a machine that refined the raw wood pulp and thereby significantly improved the quality of paper products. When his son Friedrich Voith (1840–1913) eventually took over the company, it had 30 employees.
Friedrich Voith
Friedrich Voith was also an innovator: designing and building his own version of a Voith wood grinder for the UhingenUhingen
Uhingen is a town in the district of Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is located on the river Fils, 5 km west of Göppingen....
paper mill, and improving the design of the original Raffineur. In 1869, he was awarded his first patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
for this new design. The new pulp processing machine further enhanced the quality of paper, making large scale production possible and laying the cornerstone for modern newspaper publishing.
At about the same time, Friedrich Voith decided to begin working on water-driven turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
s, and in 1870, the first Voith turbine was delivered. In 1873, the first Francis turbine
Francis turbine
The Francis turbine is a type of water turbine that was developed by James B. Francis in Lowell, Massachusetts. It is an inward-flow reaction turbine that combines radial and axial flow concepts....
was produced, and in the same year Friedrich Voith was awarded a Medal of Achievement for his innovations at the World Fair in Vienna. Thereafter, Voith decided to move beyond the production of individual components for paper machines. In 1881, he built a new machining plant, the Maschinenfabrik J. M. Voith, and he delivered the first complete paper-making machine to his customer Raitelhuber, Bezner & Cie. in Gemmrigheim, Germany.
By the end of the 19th century, Friedrich Voith was busy developing new business contacts in Europe and overseas. His company, now offered machinery covering the entire spectrum of paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
production and it was the market leader. In recognition of his accomplishments, in 1890, King Karl I of Württemberg selected Voith to join his economic council. Later in 1903, Friedrich Voith founded the first Voith subsidiary in St. Pölten, Austria. At the time of Friedrich Voith's death in 1913, his production plants in Heidenheim and St. Pölten employed over 3,000 people - including his three sons, Walther, Hermann and Hanns, who also worked in different parts of the company.
Walther and Hermann Voith
Following the death of Friedrich Voith, his sons Walther (1874–1947), Hermann (1878–1942) and Hanns Voith (1885–1971) jointly managed the company.Walther Voith took charge of the St. Pölten plant with 230 employees. Hermann Voith managed the overall commercial affairs from the Heidenheim factory, and Hanns headed the technical department in Heidenheim. Together, they expanded the company’s role in industrial drive technologies, and in 1929 Voith produced the first hydrodynamic coupling and transmission using the Föttinger Principle.
Hanns Voith
After the deaths of his older brothers, Hanns Voith assumed sole ownership of the company. Following World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Hannes Voith and Hugo Rupf, who served as Executive Board Chairman, then launched the company into a new phase of growth. Under Hanns Voith's leadership, the development and construction of paper-making machines reached a new record. Voith also began its international expansion, investments in other businesses were made, and some company take-overs occurred. A milestone during this period was the founding of the Voith S.A. in Sao Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil, in 1964. Shortly afterwards, Hanns Voith died on 7 January 1971.
Today
Voith is one of largest family-run businesses in Europe, and is still owned by Hanns Voith's family members, although they no longer take operational control of the company. Today, the company is directed by a management-holding from its headquarters in Heidenheim, Germany.Beginnings
The Voith GmbH began as a small craftsman's workshopWorkshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
in the former Kingdom of Württemberg
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...
. In 1825, Johann Matthäus Voith took over this workshop from his father Johannes, which employed five craftsmen, and made tooling and spare parts for local mills. The same site used by the original workshop is now the home of the Voith GmbH Headquarters.
In the mid-19th century, Johann Matthäus Voith began developing machinery for spinning
Spinning (textiles)
Spinning is a major industry. It is part of the textile manufacturing process where three types of fibre are converted into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. The textiles are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. There are three industrial processes available to spin yarn, and a...
mills, wool re-processing and printing presses. In 1848, he began working with the Heidenheim paper producer Heinrich Voelter (1817–1887), with the common goal of mass producing paper. At that time, series production of paper had failed due to the lack of rag-fiber which was used as the raw material. Wood however, being a plentiful renewable resource, was seen as an alternative. The very first patent for producing paper from wood pulp
Wood pulp
Pulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibres from wood, fibre crops or waste paper. Wood pulp is the most common raw material in papermaking.-History:...
was awarded to Heinrich Voelter and Friedrich Gottlob Keller in 1846. Johann Matthäus Voith studied that patent, and then dramatically improved Keller’s design. As a result, the first Raffineur was born in 1859 – a machine that significantly refined raw wood pulp and therefore greatly improved the quality of paper.
Turbine production
In 1867, Johann Matthäus Voith transferred control of the company to his son Friedrich, which had 30 employees. In that same year, Friedrich Voith officially registered the company in the local trading register for the first time under the name: Maschinenfabrik J. M. Voith. In 1869, Voith received his first patent for a wood grinder. This wood grinder was a major step forward for paper mills: allowing them to use economical, renewable cellulose-fiber, while improving paper quality, and setting the cornerstone for modern newspaper publishing. In 1881, Voith delivered the first complete paper-making machine to Raithelhuber, Bezner & Cie in Gemmrigheim, Germany. Voith's invention had opened an entirely new market, and a surge in new orders helped his company to rapidly expand. By the mid 1890s1890s
The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the "Mauve Decade" - because William Henry Perkin's aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that colour in fashion - and also as the "Gay Nineties", under the then-current usage of the word "gay" which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no...
, Voith machines were available for every stage of the paper-making process.
During the same timeframe, Voith began working on turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
s. By 1879, the first Voith turbine regulator had been built, based on the designs from Adolf Pfarr, and it proved to be a decisive step for the generation of electricity through the force of water. By 1890, Voith had even begun deliveries of a high-pressure open-jet turbine. And in the same year, Friedrich Voith was named by King Karl I of Württemberg to join his council of commercial advisors in recognition of his successful business achievements. At the company's 25th anniversary in 1892, 330 people were employed by Voith, and it was one of the largest companies in the Kingdom of Württemberg.
The first Voith subsidiary, located in St. Pölten, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, was founded in 1903, and in that same year, Voith received the largest order in its history: Voith was to build the world's largest water turbines, having 12000 hp, for the Niagara Falls Hydroelectric Power Station. This project turned out to be a milestone for both the company as well as for the history of hydroelectric power.
Voith Drive Technology
In 1911, Voith built the fastest and widest machine of its time for reel-fed printing papers, at its plant in St. Pölten, Austria. Shortly thereafter in 1913, Friedrich Voith died, and left behind a strong company with 3,000 employees, and a leading position in the paper, as well as energy markets. His three sons then shared the company's management responsibilities: Walther took charge of the St. Pölten plant, Hermann managed the commercial affairs in the main facility in Heidenheim, and Hanns headed the technical department.After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the three brothers decided to expand the company and to concentrate on drive technologies. By 1922, Voith had begun building transmission gear assemblies, based on its fluid-dynamics know-how gained from previous turbine projects. This turned out to be yet another breakthrough, which was achieved with the aid of Hermann Föttinger, and his pioneering research on hydrodynamic energy transfers. In that same year, the first Kaplan turbine
Kaplan turbine
The Kaplan turbine is a propeller-type water turbine which has adjustable blades. It was developed in 1913 by the Austrian professor Viktor Kaplan, who combined automatically adjusted propeller blades with automatically adjusted wicket gates to achieve efficiency over a wide range of flow and...
was produced by Voith, being named for its inventor Viktor Kaplan
Viktor Kaplan
Viktor Kaplan was an Austrian engineer and the inventor of the Kaplan turbine.-Life:Kaplan was born in Mürzzuschlag, Austria into a railroad worker's family. He graduated from high school in Vienna in 1895, after which he attended the Technical University of Vienna, where he studied civil...
.
By 1929, the first Voith hydrodynamic couplings based on the Föttinger Principle were in use at the Herdecke pumped-storage hydropower station. Thereafter, similar transmissions for road and rail vehicles were developed. At the same time, the company became known for the hydrodynamic drives and transmissions that it supplied to industrial production facilities. In addition, Voith launched a new product, the Voith Schneider Propeller
Voith-Schneider
The Voith Schneider propeller , also known as a cycloidal drive is a specialized marine propulsion system . It is highly maneuverable, being able to change the direction of its thrust almost instantaneously...
(VSP) for commercial vessels, which would make the company famous worldwide in the coming decades. This new marine drive could significantly improve the manoeuvrability of a ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
, being invented by the Vienna engineer Ernst Schneider, and enhanced by Voith.
After successful sea trials on the test boat Torqueo, in 1937, the first Voith Schneider Propellers were put into operation in the narrow canals of Venice, Italy. During the 1937 World Fair
World fair
World Fair can refer to:* Expo , a large public exhibition* This World Fair, an American rock band...
in Paris, Voith was awarded the grand prize – three times – for its exhibition of Voith Schneider Propellers and Voith turbo-transmissions. A year later, two of Paris' fire-fighting boats started operating with the new VSP system.
Following the death of Hermann Voith, Hanns Voith led the company in 1942. Later on 24 April 1945, when American troops occupied Heidenheim, it was Hanns Voith who personally surrendered the city to the US Army. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, 600 of the company's 4,000 employees had either been killed or were missing.
Internationalisation
Following World War II, Hannes Voith and Hugo Rupf, who served as Executive Board Chairman, then launched a high-growth phase for the company. Their first post-war delivery was a Voith turbine for NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in 1947. Then major orders started pouring in: In 1949 eight Voith Schneider Propellers went to the United Africa Company
United Africa Company
The United Africa Company was a British company which principally traded in West Africa during the 20th century.The United Africa Company was formed in 1929 as a result of the merger of the Royal Niger Company, which had been effectively owned by Lever Brothers since 1920, and the African &...
, 46 Voith turbo-transmissions were shipped to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and in 1951, a new paper-making machine was delivered to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. At the same time, Voith's new triple-converter transmission for motorised railcars, and its DIWA bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
transmissions
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
made Voith the market leader in drive technology. In 1953, Voith produced Europe's fastest newsprint paper machine for the Feldmühle AG: running at speeds of 600 metre/min, and producing up to 200 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s of newsprint
Newsprint
Newsprint is a low-cost, non-archival paper most commonly used to print newspapers, and other publications and advertising material. It usually has an off-white cast and distinctive feel. It is designed for use in printing presses that employ a long web of paper rather than individual sheets of...
each day. At the 1958 World's Fair in Brussels, Voith was awarded a gold medal for developing the first turbo-transmission for the diesel-hydraulic locomotives of the Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
(German Railways).
Throughout the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
, Voith rapidly expanded to become an internationally active corporation. In 1962, Voith participated on Europe's largest pumped-storage hydroelectric power station in Vianden
Vianden
Vianden is a commune with city status in the Oesling, north-eastern Luxembourg, with over 1,500 inhabitants. It is the capital of the canton of Vianden, which is part of the district of Diekirch. Vianden lies on the Our river, near the border between Luxembourg and Germany., the town of Vianden,...
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, by supplying two spiral turbines, four storage pumps, and two pump turbines. For years later, Voith set another record by delivering the widest newsprint machine in the world to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Between 1962 and 1966, the company also made major investments in the Indian company Utkal Machinery Ltd., and the Spanish company Talleres de Tolosa. Voith also took over the tooling and paper machine manufacturer Dörries, as well as founding new sales offices in Great Britain and France. In addition, a new subsidiary was founded in Brazil in 1964: the Voith S.A. in São Paulo.
In the 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
, Voith developed its centrimatic clutch, and the R130 retarder for buses and utility vehicles. In the USA, Voith founded a subsidiary in Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
in 1974, and also became the major shareholder of Morden Machines in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Two years later, Voith founded its first Japanese subsidiary. Following the death of Hanns Voith, Hugo Rupf became the company's Managing Director in 1971, and in 1973, he became the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Following the acquisition of Appleton Mills, USA in 1983, Voith entered the market for paper machine clothing. In addition, Voith took over the hydropower operations of the US market leader Allis Chalmers in York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
. Within a few years, Voith expanded its US workforce from 200 to 1,300. In 1985, Voith also entered the India, establishing a production plant in Hyderabad.
In the 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, Voith began to expand its operations in the Far East, concentrating on China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. In 1994, Voith supplied the turbines for the world's largest pumped storage hydroelectric power station at Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
II. And two years later, Voith received the contract to build the world's largest fine paper machine in Dagang. In Kunshan
Kunshan
Kunshan is a satellite city in the greater Suzhou region. Administratively, it is a county-level city within the prefecture-level city of Suzhou. It is located in southeastearn part of Jiangsu Province, China, adjacent to Jiangsu's border with the Shanghai Municipality.The total area of Kunshan...
and Liaoyang
Liaoyang
Liaoyang is a city in China, Liaoning province, located in the middle of the Liaodong Peninsula. The city is situated on the T'ai-tzu River and forms with Anshan a built up area of 2,057,200 inhabitants in 2010....
, China, the company also opened new production plants in 1996.
Under the leadership of Michael Rogowski, who had been Voith's spokesman since 1986, the company was reorganised, and it became a management-holding, with independently operating commercial sectors. In the following years, Voith's technical masterpieces were the introduction of the R 115 integrated retarder in 1988, and the commissioning of the largest European deinking facility in Schongau in 1989.
In 1994, Voith and the Swiss company, Sulzer
Sulzer (manufacturer)
Sulzer Ltd. is a Swiss industrial engineering and manufacturing firm, founded by Salomon Sulzer-Bernet in 1775 and established as Sulzer Brothers Ltd. in 1834 in Winterthur, Switzerland. Today it is a publicly owned company with international subsidiaries...
, merged their technical paper production activities and in 1999 Voith acquired the technical paper-making operations of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
company, Scapa
Scapa
Scapa is a small settlement and a Scotch whisky distillery situated on The Mainland of Orkney, Scotland on the shore of Scapa Flow near the town of Kirkwall. Scapa is the second most northern whisky distillery in Scotland, being a half-mile farther south than Highland Park Distillery.The...
- thereby became the leader in machine clothing technologies. The next year, the Voith Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
Hydro Power Generation was founded as a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
between the two international leaders in turbine and generator technologies.
In 2000, Voith's leadership also changed hands, with Michael Rogowski handing over the company's operational responsibilities to Hermut Kormann. Under his leadership, Voith has become a worldwide, family-run company - with orders totaling €4 billion, and a workforce of 34,000 people. A key development has been Voith's entry into the field of technical industrial service. By assuming the controlling interest in the DIW Deutsche Industriewartung AG, Stuttgart, the cornerstone was laid for the new commercial division: Voith Industrial Services. In past years, this division has seen considerable growth and other acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions refers to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling, dividing and combining of different companies and similar entities that can help an enterprise grow rapidly in its sector or location of origin, or a new field or...
have also followed, including: The Imo-Hüther Group, the US Premier Group and Hörmann Industrial Technologies.
In May 2006, the new Voith Paper Technology Center was opened in Heidenheim. In Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Voith's subsidiary Wavegen
Wavegen
Voith Hydro Wavegen Limited is a wave energy company based in Inverness, Scotland. It was founded in 1990 by Allan Thomson.In 2000, Wavegen became the first company in the world to connect a commercial scale wave energy device to the grid on the Scottish island of Islay...
introduced the first wave-driven generator that can supply electricity to a local power grid.
On October 1, 2010 the holding company changed its legal form from Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e. owned by shareholders, and may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland...
(AG) to GmbH.
Management
Chairman of the Board since 2008 is Dr. Hubert Lienhard. Supervisory Board Chairman is Dr. Manfred Bischoff. His assistant is Gerd Schaible, Assistant Chairman and Chairman of the Voith Employee Association, Heidenheim, Germany.See also
- Voith-SchneiderVoith-SchneiderThe Voith Schneider propeller , also known as a cycloidal drive is a specialized marine propulsion system . It is highly maneuverable, being able to change the direction of its thrust almost instantaneously...
, a specialised marine propulsionMarine propulsionMarine propulsion is the mechanism or system used to generate thrust to move a ship or boat across water. While paddles and sails are still used on some smaller boats, most modern ships are propelled by mechanical systems consisting a motor or engine turning a propeller, or less frequently, in jet...
system. - List of Voith transmissions
- MAN SE
- ZF FriedrichshafenZF FriedrichshafenZF Friedrichshafen AG, also known as ZF Group, and commonly abbreviated to ZF, is a German public company headquartered in Friedrichshafen, in the south-west German region of Baden-Württemberg....