From family business to global player

Nord Drivesystems was founded on April 1, 1965, by G.A. Küchenmeister and Günter Schlicht. Since then, the family-owned company has developed into a major systems provider for mechanical and electronic drive technology with over 4,800 employees worldwide. This year, the drive specialists are celebrating their 60th anniversary.

60 years of Nord – this milestone is something very special. The company is characterized by many years of experience, extensive expertise in over 100 industries, its own production facilities, a high level of vertical integration, and a global network. Thanks to its qualified employees, NORD can offer its customers worldwide customized drive solutions from a comprehensive product portfolio and high quality standards.

Company History in Review

Following its founding in 1965, construction began in 1977 on what is now Zahnradwerk Nord in Glinde for the production of gear components. In 1979, the first subsidiaries abroad, in the USA, France, and Sweden, were established. Today, the company has 48 subsidiaries in 36 countries and additional sales partners in over 50 countries. This enables service, consulting, warehousing, and assembly directly on site – always close to the customer.

Nord expanded its production to include in-house production of electric motors and shortly thereafter began manufacturing electronic components in Aurich. Due to high demand, the subsidiary NORD Electronic Drivesystems in Aurich, Lower Saxony, has grown steadily ever since. In 1991, Nord Fertigungstechnik was established in Gadebusch, a machining plant for the production of housings and shafts. The plants in Germany, Italy, Poland, the USA, and China are constantly being expanded and modernized. The headquarters in Bargteheide is also continuously evolving – a modern administration building was recently built there.

Technological Highlights

In 1981, NORD developed the block housing concept, a groundbreaking invention for the industrial production of gear housings, which remains an international standard to this day. In 2000, the focus was on the product launch of decentralized drive technology.

Further milestones

• 2002 – The modular worm gear system
• 2009 – The MaxxdriveXC industrial gear units
• 2016 – The Nordac Link field distributor series
• 2019 – The Nordac PRO SK 500P, the Nordcon app, and the Nordac Access BT Bluetooth stick
• 2021 – The highly efficient Nord IE5+ synchronous motor, the Nordac ON/ON+, and the DuoDrive
• 2025 – NXD Basic and NXD tupH

Success in numbers: One billion euros in sales

Innovations pay off: Shortly before the turn of the year 2022/2023, Nord exceeded the one billion euro sales mark for the first time in the company's history. This demonstrates how well the manufacturer's drive solutions meet the requirements of various industries and how highly NORD is valued as a strong and reliable partner – something the company also expressed in 2023 with the claim "Our Solution. Your Success."

Sustainability and Digitalization

With its 2025 Sustainability Strategy, NORD promises to act consistently in an ecologically, economically, and socially responsible manner. The manufacturer's efficient drive solutions contribute significantly to reducing energy consumption and CO₂ emissions in industry. Furthermore, the drive experts support companies with consulting services such as the Efficiency Analysis Program and the Nord ECO Service.

With the digital myNord platform, the drive manufacturer also provides a service solution with which the company significantly increases the accessibility of its services, streamlines processes, and significantly simplifies the configuration and ordering of drive technology.

Outlook after 60 years

2025 marks a special year for the Nord Drivesystems Group: For 60 years, it has stood for reliable and innovative drive solutions. Despite the current economic challenges and uncertainties in global markets, the company remains confident about its future. Its innovative drive solutions, industry expertise, international focus, high quality standards, and a strong global network form the foundation for sustainable growth. This anniversary is not only an occasion for celebration, but also an incentive to continue setting new standards in the industry and impressing customers worldwide with high-performance solutions.