Andritz Hydro

Andritz Hydro is an Austrian business focused on electromechanical systems for hydropower plants. It is a division of the Andritz Group and has been owned by Andritz AG since 2006. Its present-day business combines capabilities brought together from several established industrial and hydro-engineering operations. The company’s formation dates to 2000, when Sulzer Hydro, Escher-Wyss, the hydro activities of MCE, and ELIN were combined. It operated as VA Tech Hydro before adopting the Andritz Hydro name. Its predecessor businesses had histories in machinery, electrical equipment, and hydropower, including Escher-Wyss, founded in 1805, and Sulzer, founded in 1834. The German-language source identifies locations including Vienna, Linz, Weiz, Kriens, Vevey, and Ravensburg, and describes Weiz as a major generator-manufacturing site and Linz as a location for much of its steel and apparatus construction. Andritz Hydro’s offerings span large turnkey hydropower plants and their equipment, compact hydro installations, and services to modernize, automate, maintain, and refurbish existing facilities. The source also lists pumps, turbogenerators made in cooperation with General Electric, and controllable-pitch propellers for marine vessels and luxury yachts. It cites involvement in projects including the Atatürk Dam, Goldisthal pumped-storage plant, Karun-3, Freudenau power station, and the Malta power plants. The source describes the business as an international supplier of hydraulic machinery and electrical equipment for power generation.

Andritz Hydro was formed in 2000 through the combination of Sulzer Hydro, Escher-Wyss, the hydro activities of MCE, and ELIN. The business operated under the name VA Tech Hydro before becoming Andritz Hydro. The companies and operations incorporated into it had roots in several generations of industrial manufacturing. Escher-Wyss was founded in 1805 and Sulzer in 1834, both in Zurich according to the supplied German-language account. Sulzer took full control of Escher-Wyss in 1969, renaming it Sulzer Escher Wyss. The operation became Sulzer Hydro in 1995 and was acquired by VA Tech in 1999. Following integration in 2000, it was known as VA Tech Escher Wyss. Another strand of the company’s history is associated with the Weiz manufacturing site. The Pichlerwerke were founded there in 1892, and the ELIN name appeared in 1922. Subsequent consolidation with AEG Union resulted in ELIN UNION AG. In 1989, ELIN was divided into ELIN Energieanwendung and ELIN Energieversorgung. The German-language source identifies Weiz as an important generator-manufacturing site for Andritz Hydro. The MCE strand was established in Linz in 1989 as VOEST-ALPINE MCE. It acquired Hydro Vevey in 1990, and VA Tech took over its hydro business in 1999. Following incorporation into VA Tech Hydro in 2000, this operation was known as VA TECH VOEST MCE. Linz later became a major location for the company’s steel and apparatus construction. VA Technologie AG was founded in 1994 and comprised four divisions, including energy generation through VA Tech Hydro. Siemens acquired the VA Tech Group in 2005. According to the source, antitrust requirements meant VA Tech Hydro had to be sold again; the gas-and-steam combined-cycle power plant business remained with Siemens. Andritz AG acquired VA Tech Hydro in 2006, and the business subsequently operated as Andritz Hydro. The source names the Atatürk Dam, Goldisthal pumped-storage plant, Karun-3, Freudenau power station, and the Malta power plants among projects in which the business participated. It describes the company’s activity as supplying hydraulic machinery and electrical equipment for power generation. Its stated business areas include large hydropower plant systems, compact hydro, services and rehabilitation, pumps, turbogenerators made in cooperation with General Electric, and controllable-pitch propellers for marine and luxury-yacht applications. In 2019, the investigative platform Addendum, in cooperation with Correctiv, published allegations from a former managing director of an Andritz Hydro subsidiary in Morelia, Mexico. The former executive said he had witnessed an alleged system of bribe payments intended to influence contract awards in Venezuela. These are reported allegations, not findings established by the supplied account.

• 2019

  Investigative report publishes allegations

• 2006

  Andritz AG acquires VA Tech Hydro

• 2005

  Siemens acquires VA Tech Group

• 2000

  Andritz Hydro predecessor formed

• 1999

  Hydro businesses acquired by VA Tech

• 1995

  Sulzer Hydro name adopted

• 1994

  VA Technologie AG founded

• 1989

  VOEST-ALPINE MCE established

• 1969

  Sulzer takes over Escher-Wyss

• 1892

  Pichlerwerke founded in Weiz

• 1834

  Sulzer founded

• 1805

  Escher-Wyss founded

An international supplier of hydraulic machinery and electrical equipment for power generation, with offerings spanning new hydropower plants and services for existing facilities.

• Large Hydro

  Turnkey large hydropower plants and related equipment, including turbines, generators, gates, penstocks, control systems, and Hydromatrix installations.

• Compact Hydro

  Small and medium hydropower installations.

• Hydro Service & Rehab

  Modernization, automation, component renewal, maintenance, and servicing of existing hydropower facilities.

• Pumps

  The source lists pumps as a business area.

• Generator Turbo

  Turbogenerators for gas and steam turbines, made in cooperation with General Electric according to the source.

• Controllable-pitch propellers

  Propellers for marine vessels and luxury yachts.

• 2019

  Allegations concerning contract awards in Venezuela

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• 2006

  Andritz AG acquires VA Tech HydroOther

• 2005

  VA Tech Hydro resold after Siemens acquisitionOther

1. 1Andritz Hydrode.wikipedia.org
2. 2Andritz Hydrowikidata.org