Buying the German machine tool manufacturer will help Korea’s DN Solutions gain greater insights into automotive, aerospace and defence industries, it says.
Leading South Korean machine tool manufacturer DN Solutions is set to acquire German machine tool manufacturer Heller – a move it says will take its consolidated sales to A$3.5 billion.
Formerly known as Doosan Machine Tools, DN Solutions is a subsidiary of car parts manufacturer DN Automotive Group – and states it is one of the top three machine tool manufacturers in the world.
In its statement, DN Solutions said the combined global production footprint would enable both companies to better respond to shifts in regional demand, supply chain dynamics and trade policy changes.
“In particular, the US plant is expected to act as an effective safeguard against the impact of recent changes in US tariff policies,” the company says.
“Heller also has an extensive track record of working with leading global companies in the automotive, aerospace, and defence industries – sectors that demand the highest levels of technological capability. This experience will enable DN Solutions to gain stronger insights into key customer industries.”
DN Solutions CEO Wonjong Kim says the acquisition will expand its portfolio of complex machining centres and 5-axis technologies, giving customers access to a unique combination of technologies.
“By combining our strengths with Heller over 130 years of expertise in machining centres, this partnership will deliver groundbreaking innovations to the manufacturing industry,” he says.
“Furthermore, the two companies will offer unique value to customers and reinforce their position as a high-end brand in the global machine tool market.”
“Each side brings something unique to the table. Together, we will become even stronger – and, above all, more relevant to our customers worldwide,” Kim says.
Based in the German centre of Nürtingen, Heller is known for its 4-axis and 5-axis machining technologies, often used in demanding, high-precision processes.
Heller CEO Thorsten Schmidt said the company would continue its long-standing brand, saying the acquisition would give it new opportunities to leverage its expertise within a global network
“By combining our strengths, we will become a true one-stop shop for machine tool manufacturing,” he says. “In future, customers will no longer have to commission different partners within a network – we offer all solutions from a single source.”
Heller has a strong presence in Europe, production sites in Germany, the UK, US, Brazil and China and has an employee base of 2,100 people.
DN Solutions offers around 400 product types to a network of more than 140 dealers in 66 countries, including a strong market presence in North America and Asia, with plants in South Korea, China and a new plant being built in India.