ZF Wind Power Antwerpen
ZF's wind power gearbox manufacturing facility.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
ZF Wind Power Antwerpen is a wind power gearbox production facility of the ZF Group in Antwerp, Belgium, focusing on the design and manufacturing of gearboxes for wind turbines, serving the global wind energy market.
History
ZF Wind Power Antwerpen traces its history to La Mécanique Générale, founded in Antwerp in 1923. The company developed specialized transmission units and became associated with engineer David Hansen, whose surname later formed the basis of the Hansen Transmissions identity. In 1939, the operation moved to Edegem, near Antwerp, to obtain more room for expansion. Hansen established Machinery & Gear Hansen in 1950, creating a related subsidiary focused on machinery and gearing. LMG and MGH were merged in 1966. Following further corporate development and a series of takeovers, the combined business was renamed Hansen Transmissions International in 1972. During the late 1970s, the company increasingly directed its engineering and manufacturing capabilities toward gearboxes for wind turbines. This specialization connected the company to the expanding wind-energy industry and eventually made it an important industrial supplier to turbine manufacturers. The business changed ownership several times after 1966. Suzlon Energy acquired Hansen on March 17, 2006, through AE-Rotor Holding BV. The reported cash consideration was €465 million, paid to Allianz Capital Partners and Apax Partners. For Suzlon, the acquisition was strategically linked to securing gearbox supply for its turbine-manufacturing operations. Hansen was also expected to benefit from Suzlon's knowledge of the Indian market and from the turbine company's international expansion. Hansen was listed on the London Stock Exchange in December 2007. Suzlon later faced substantial debt pressure and reduced its ownership. In November 2009, it sold a 35.22 percent stake to help repay an acquisition loan facility; Suzlon remained the largest shareholder with a 26.1 percent interest according to the referenced account. ZF Friedrichshafen acquired Hansen Transmissions in September 2011. In December 2011, the Belgian operation was renamed ZF Wind Power Antwerpen, marking its transition from a separately identified Hansen business to a ZF wind-power unit. ZF subsequently expanded its wind-drivetrain activities by taking over Bosch Rexroth's wind-turbine gearbox segment in December 2015. The resulting business operates within ZF's international wind-power network. Manufacturing locations associated with the operation include Belgium, India, Germany, the United States, and China. The referenced account describes six manufacturing plants and annual output capacity of approximately 16,000 MW. Its core activity remains the design, manufacture, and supply of wind-turbine gearboxes and related transmission technology. The business is now presented under ZF's wind-power identity rather than as an independent Hansen-listed company.
- 2015
ZF takes over Bosch Rexroth's wind gearbox segment
[1]The transaction broadens ZF's wind-turbine gearbox activities.
- 2011
ZF Friedrichshafen acquires the business
[1]ZF acquires Hansen Transmissions and later renames the Belgian operation ZF Wind Power Antwerpen.
- 2007
London Stock Exchange listing
[1]Hansen Transmissions is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
- 2006
Suzlon acquires Hansen Transmissions
[1]Suzlon buys the company through AE-Rotor Holding BV in a €465 million cash transaction.
- 1979
Wind-energy gearboxes become a growing focus
[1]The company increasingly concentrates on supplying gearboxes for the developing wind-power generation sector.
- 1972
The company adopts the Hansen Transmissions International name
[1]The merged business is renamed Hansen Transmissions International.
- 1966
LMG and MGH merge
[1]The two related Belgian businesses combine, creating the corporate basis for the later Hansen Transmissions operation.
- 1950
Machinery & Gear Hansen is established
[1]David Hansen establishes MGH as a subsidiary focused on machinery and gearing.
- 1939
Operations move to Edegem
[1]The company relocates to Edegem to provide additional space for future expansion.
- 1923
La Mécanique Générale is founded in Antwerp
[1]The industrial predecessor of Hansen Transmissions begins operations in Antwerp, initially producing specialized transmission units.
Products and positioning
Specialist global supplier of engineered wind-turbine gearboxes and drivetrain technology, combining Hansen's long industrial history with ZF's multinational manufacturing and engineering capabilities.
Wind-power drivetrain
Wind turbine gearboxes
The company's principal product line consists of gearboxes for wind turbines. These systems transmit and manage mechanical power between the turbine rotor and generator, converting the rotor's operating characteristics into a form suitable for electricity generation. The business supplies engineered equipment for the wind-energy industry rather than consumer-facing products, with manufacturing and engineering activities distributed across ZF's international network.
Industrial transmission · 1923
Specialized transmission units
The company's historical industrial portfolio was built around specialized transmission units and machinery-and-gearing expertise. This technical foundation preceded its later concentration on wind power and provided the engineering capabilities used in the design and manufacture of heavy-duty drivetrain equipment.
Brand decisions
2015
ZF expands through Bosch Rexroth's wind gearbox businessM&ABackground
ZF pursued greater scale and capability in wind-turbine drivetrain technology.
Action taken
ZF took over the wind-turbine gearbox segment of Bosch Rexroth.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened ZF's presence in wind-power gearboxes and complemented the capabilities of ZF Wind Power Antwerpen.
2011
ZF acquires Hansen TransmissionsM&ABackground
The gearbox business was brought into ZF's industrial technology portfolio as the wind-power transmission market continued to develop.
Action taken
ZF Friedrichshafen acquired Hansen Transmissions in September and renamed the Belgian operation ZF Wind Power Antwerpen in December.
Aftermath
The former Hansen business became a ZF wind-power unit and continued operating within a global manufacturing network.
2006
Suzlon acquires Hansen TransmissionsM&ABackground
Suzlon sought to secure access to a strategically important supply of wind-turbine gearboxes and to strengthen its vertical position in the wind-turbine industry.
Action taken
Suzlon completed the acquisition through AE-Rotor Holding BV for €465 million in cash.
Aftermath
Hansen became part of Suzlon's wind-energy group, was later listed in London, and subsequently became subject to Suzlon stake reductions before its acquisition by ZF.
Acquisition consideration. €465 million cash transaction (March 17, 2006)
Recent events
- 2015
ZF expands wind gearbox activities through Bosch Rexroth transaction[1]
M&A
ZF took over Bosch Rexroth's wind-turbine gearbox segment, expanding its capabilities and industrial footprint in wind-power transmissions.
- 2011
ZF Friedrichshafen acquires Hansen Transmissions[1]
M&A · Leadership change
ZF Friedrichshafen acquired Hansen Transmissions in September, bringing the Belgian gearbox operation into the ZF Group.
- 2011
Hansen Transmissions is renamed ZF Wind Power Antwerpen[1]
Other
The Belgian operation adopted the name ZF Wind Power Antwerpen in December following its acquisition by ZF.
- 2009
Suzlon reduces its holding in Hansen Transmissions[1]
Other
Suzlon sold a 35.22 percent interest in Hansen Transmissions in November to help repay an outstanding acquisition loan facility. Suzlon retained a minority holding after the sale.
- 2007
Hansen Transmissions lists on the London Stock Exchange[1]
Other
Hansen Transmissions became a listed company in December as Suzlon continued to integrate the gearbox producer into its wider wind-energy strategy.
- 2006
Suzlon acquires Hansen Transmissions[1]
M&A
Suzlon Energy acquired Hansen Transmissions through AE-Rotor Holding BV in a cash transaction valued at €465 million, seeking strategic access to wind-turbine gearbox capacity and technology.
Sources2 sources
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