Voith Siemens

Voith Siemens
Name	Voith Siemens
Type	Joint venture
Industry	Industrial engineering
Founded	1997
Headquarters	Heidenheim an der Brenz, Germany; Munich, Germany
Products	Turbines; generators; automation systems; hydroelectric equipment; power transmission; drive systems
Owners	Voith; Siemens

Voith Siemens was a German joint venture formed in 1997 combining parts of Voith and Siemens to serve the global hydropower and power-generation markets. The venture integrated engineering units from two long-established Heidenheim and Munich based firms to deliver turbines, generators, and automation systems for large-scale projects across Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Asia. It played a role in major hydroelectric, pumped-storage, and industrial drive installations until its dissolution into successor units and asset transfers in the 2010s.

History

Voith Siemens originated when Voith, a family-owned technology company founded by Heinrich Voith in 1867, and Siemens, the multinational engineering conglomerate founded by Werner von Siemens in 1847, sought synergy in hydropower technology. The 1990s energy-markets restructuring, influenced by directives from the European Commission and competitive pressures from firms like GE Energy and Alstom, prompted consolidation. The joint venture consolidated legacy lines descended from early 20th-century projects such as installations in the Rhine basin and modernization programs in the Volga and Danube regions. Over time, shifts in strategic priorities at both parent companies, as well as acquisitions by competitors including Andritz and corporate realignments at Siemens AG, affected the venture’s scope and asset allocations.

Joint Venture Formation and Ownership

The joint venture was established as a 50:50 partnership between Voith and Siemens, structured to pool hydraulic turbine expertise from Voith with electrical-generator and automation capabilities from Siemens. The arrangement paralleled other industrial collaborations of the era, reminiscent of alliances between ABB and regional partners, and fit a trend toward cross-border consolidation during the 1990s and 2000s. Governance involved a joint supervisory board reflecting representation from both families of stakeholders and corporate boards, and the venture operated under German corporate law frameworks including provisions influenced by the Handelsgesetzbuch and corporate practices common in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria industrial firms.

Products and Technology

Voith Siemens offered Francis, Kaplan, and Pelton turbines, synchronous generators, power electronics, and plant automation systems integrating Siemens control platforms. Its product range included large-capacity reversible pump-turbines for pumped-storage schemes, Kaplan propeller units for low-head sites, and tailor-made Francis turbines for high-head installations in mountainous regions such as the Alps and Andes. The company developed coupling systems, hydrodynamic bearings, and governor technologies compatible with grid codes issued by authorities like the Federal Network Agency (Germany) and standards promulgated by IEC committees. R&D collaboration drew on historical advances from Voith Hydro and Siemens Energy legacy teams in electromagnetic design, computational fluid dynamics, and digital condition monitoring.

Major Projects and Installations

Voith Siemens supplied equipment to projects ranging from large hydroelectric dams to industrial power plants. Notable types of installations included refurbishment works at century-old plants on the Rhine and modernization packages for the Dnieper cascade, as well as new-build projects in emerging markets such as the Three Gorges ancillary works and pumped-storage facilities connected to grids in Spain and Brazil. The venture provided electromechanical packages for multipurpose dams and renewable integration projects collaborating with project owners including national utilities like EDF, Eletrobras, Iberdrola, and RusHydro.

Corporate Structure and Operations

Operationally, Voith Siemens maintained engineering centers, production facilities, and service units across multiple countries, leveraging Voith’s manufacturing footprint in Heidenheim and Siemens’ electrical assembly capabilities in Erlangen and Zug (through affiliates). The company organized around project management, engineering design, manufacturing, installation, and lifecycle service divisions, and employed specialists in hydraulic design, electrical engineering, and automation. Its supply chain included partnerships with turbine component fabricators and electrical suppliers across the European Union and with subcontractors in China and India for local content in export contracts.

Market Presence and Competition

In the global hydropower market, Voith Siemens competed with legacy and emerging firms such as Andritz, GE Renewable Energy, Alstom Power (pre-merger entities), and Chinese conglomerates like Dongfang Electric and Harbin Electric. The joint venture’s market-share depended on track record in complex, high-head projects and refurbishment contracts. Geographic strengths included established relationships in Central Europe and project pipelines in Latin America and Africa, while competitive dynamics were influenced by financing institutions like the World Bank and European Investment Bank that underpinned large dam projects.

Safety, Environmental Impact, and Compliance

Voith Siemens implemented occupational safety and environmental management aligned with standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001 (later ISO 45001 frameworks). Project delivery required compliance with environmental impact assessments overseen by authorities in host countries and adherence to mitigation measures related to riverine ecosystems impacted by dams, drawing scrutiny from NGOs including WWF and International Rivers. The company engaged in fish-friendly turbine designs and sediment management technologies as part of mitigation strategies for projects on rivers like the Mekong and Amazon basins.

Category:Joint ventures Category:Hydropower companies