Deutz to Acquire Dutch Manufacturer of Battery-Electric Drives
Germany-based engine manufacturer Deutz is acquiring UMS, a specialist in the electrification of off-highway vehicles, accelerating the growth of its Deutz New Technology segment. Netherlands-based UMS Holding B.V. is regarded as an innovative leader in the field of battery-electric drives for off-highway applications and has so far electrified more than 200 machines, including excavators, wheel loaders and cranes (such as those pictured).
The agreement is for Deutz to purchase 100 percent of the shares in UMS.
“By acquiring UMS, Deutz is accelerating the development of battery-electric drives for heavy-duty applications and will immediately facilitate the electrification of large off-highway machines,” said Deutz CEO Dr. Sebastian Schulte. “We are thus taking a strategically important step under our Dual+ strategy and will play a key role in the consolidation of the market for internal combustion engines and for climate-friendly drives used to power large machines.”
Deutz New Technology CEO Bert van Hasselt talked about the significance of the alternative drive business. “By purchasing UMS, we are taking a technological leap forward and saving both time and resources,” said van Hasselt. “Moreover, our expertise in industrialization will enable the UMS technology to be sealed up. This acquisition underpins our strategy to offer the best products in the market to our customer, now and in the future.”
“Deutz’s 161 years of industrial experience and its modern production network at major sites in Germany make it the ideal partner for automating battery assembly and the production of e-kits and ramping them up for mass distribution,” said Lars Kool, CEO and chief technology officer, UMS.
Industrialization in Germany
The industrialization of the UMS solutions will predominantly take place at Deutz’s sites in Germany, allowing them to enhance their capabilities in the field of battery-electric drives.
With the acquisition of UMS, Deutz can target new customer groups in the transportation and logistics sector and greatly accelerate research and development in relation to alternative drives because UMS’ electrification kits make it easy to integrate alternative drives into the existing engine space without having to spend considerable time and money on redesigning the machines. As a result, they can be installed in new machines on existing assembly lines or directly retrofitted.
UMS uses replaceable batteries. In excavators, these batteries can be integrated at the rear in place of the counterweight and can be changed in less than 10 minutes, making them cost-effective in machines that are used to move heavy loads, such as on construction sites or in agricultural applications.
When the batteries are combined with small Deutz internal combustion engines in a hybrid system, even the electrification of larger machines becomes immediately possible.
Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals.
