Germany's Nordex Group Signs Agreement to Acquire Dutch Wind Tower Connection Technology Company

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 11, Germany's Nordex Group signed an acquisition agreement in Hamburg to acquire C1 Connections, a Dutch wind turbine tower connection technology company. The transaction scope includes its patented C1 wedge connection technology, related intellectual property rights, know-how, and core structural engineering team. C1 Connections' offshore wind business is not included in this acquisition and will continue to operate under a newly established independent entity.

The C1 wedge connection technology is primarily used for structural connections between wind turbine tower tube sections. It employs a fork-shaped upper flange, a cylindrical lower flange, and specialized fastening components. Lateral bolts drive wedges to tighten, converting lateral forces into greater preload between the flanges. Compared with conventional bolted flange connections, this structure is less sensitive to preload loss, can reduce the need for large bolts and associated fastening tools, and lowers installation and subsequent maintenance workload.

C1 Connections obtained Det Norske Veritas (DNV) Class A component certification in 2023, covering tower section connections as well as connection applications between foundations and towers. The technology has previously undergone full-scale manufacturing, installation, and fatigue performance verification. Its tower tube sections can be produced in different regions, connection fasteners are supplied by the technology provider, and flanges can be processed by local manufacturers, making it suitable for wind power projects that need to meet localized procurement requirements.

This acquisition incorporates C1 Connections' onshore wind connection technology and engineering team into Nordex's existing turbine and tower engineering system. Nordex stated that the two parties will combine their respective technical capabilities in turbine and tower engineering to provide more tower connection solutions for specific projects.