On 1 June 2015, Deutsche Windtechnik AG acquired 100% of the shares of seebaWIND Service GmbH and Level 360 Gesellschaft für Rotor- und Gittermastservice mbH.
The business acquisition provides Deutsche Windtechnik AG with an even better starting point for further growth in the international onshore and offshore service markets. In particular, this enables Deutsche Windtechnik AG to expand its systems technology from the present focus on Vestas®/NEG Micon and Siemens®/AN Bonus® to the machine technologies offered by Nordex®, Senvion® and Fuhrländer®.
The merger sees the Deutsche Windtechnik AG workforce increase by 75 to the present total of 690. The maintenance contracts also add 300 new turbines to the Deutsche Windtechnik Group, resulting in a managed portfolio of 2,542 wind turbines in total.
Even greater positioning by joining forces
Both parties see in the acquisition great business potential that can be significantly improved by working together.
"The technical competence, particularly in relation to Nordex®, Senvion® and Fuhrländer® turbines, will perfectly complement our own expertise and satisfy the high demand from wind park operators for a one-stop service. It will also make it easier to manage national and international growth as well as offshore activities," highlights Matthias Brandt, chairman of Deutsche Windtechnik AG, as background information to the current changes.
Holger Hämel, joint managing director of seebaWIND Service GmbH alongside Severin Mielimonka, has also welcomed the future collaboration: "The wind market has changed over the last 20 years: The size of operators, internationalisation, documentation and health and safety requirements, remote data monitoring, full maintenance contracts and much more – things are changing everywhere. With Deutsche Windtechnik, we are securing our competitiveness in all the relevant disciplines!" Concrete synergies will be achieved, for example, in purchasing, remote data monitoring, the service network, sales and marketing, maintenance support and new staff training.
However, Matthias Brandt and Holger Hämel also stressed the highly compatible identities of both companies. Matthias Brandt: "We have known each other for years and appreciate our mutual enthusiasm for wind energy, technology and maintenance. The fantastic staff at both companies will equip us even better for the challenges that lie ahead."
Managing directors and business locations to remain the same
Severin Mielimonka and Holger Hämel will continue to manage seebaWIND Service GmbH – now under the umbrella of Deutsche Windtechnik AG. The management of Level 360 Gesellschaft für Rotor- und Gittermastservice mbH is still handled by Severin Mielimonka and Jörg Fuchs – also under the umbrella of Deutsche Windtechnik AG. In addition, the Osnabrück headquarters of seebaWIND Service GmbH are to be maintained and further developed along with the individual service centres: They are well suited to the decentralised organisational structure of Deutsche Windtechnik AG. The seebaWIND Service GmbH company name will remain for the time being at least.