Vossloh Kiepe
Encyclopedia
Vossloh Kiepe is a German manufacturer of electrical traction equipment for tram
s, trolleybus
es and other transport vehicles, as well as air-conditioning and heating systems, and conveyor device components.
repair workshop in Düsseldorf
, over the next 40 years the company's product range grew to include electrical switches, then electrical drum controllers and resistor
s for electric vehicles. By 1951 the product range included electro-pneumatic contactors, and traction motors; in 1952 the company supplied equipment for an order of 700 trolleybus
es for Argentina.
Between the 1950s and 1970s Kiepe Elektrik expanded, with formation of subsidiaries both in Austria (Kiepe Bahn und Kran Electric Ges.m.b.H., 1959.), and elsewhere. In 1973 the company was acquired by ACEC
of Belgium. In 1983 the company was acquired from ACEC by Alsthom
, then by AEG
in 1993. During this time Kiepe had become a provider of electrical traction equipment for light rail
vehicles.
In 1995 AEG formed Adtranz
with ABB by merging their transportation divisions. As this created a duopoly of electric traction equipment manufacturers in Germany, the European Commission
ruled that the Kiepe subsidiary had to be sold; in 1996 Schaltbau AG acquired the company. In the early 2000s the company expanded into the North American and Italian markets.
On 14 September 2002 Vossloh AG acquired Kiepe Elektrik, and in 2003 the company was renamed Vossloh Kiepe GmbH..
) and Vossloh España (formerly Meinfesa).
The company has five subsidiaries:
s or LRVs (light rail
vehicles); the company provides electrical traction converters, auxiliary power supplies, air conditioning and heating equipment. Entire trams and LRVs are typically supplied in association with other manufacturers. Also supplied are specialised electric rail vehicles, and equipment for the modernisation of older electrically powered mass transit vehicles. and traction equipment for trolley buses and hybrid electric buses.
The company often acts as a component supplier to larger integrated rail vehicle manufactures including Siemens, Alstom and Bombardier.
Components for conveyor belt
s are also made.
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s, trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
es and other transport vehicles, as well as air-conditioning and heating systems, and conveyor device components.
History
In 1906 Theodor Kiepe created a electric arc lampArc lamp
"Arc lamp" or "arc light" is the general term for a class of lamps that produce light by an electric arc . The lamp consists of two electrodes, first made from carbon but typically made today of tungsten, which are separated by a gas...
repair workshop in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, over the next 40 years the company's product range grew to include electrical switches, then electrical drum controllers and resistor
Resistor
A linear resistor is a linear, passive two-terminal electrical component that implements electrical resistance as a circuit element.The current through a resistor is in direct proportion to the voltage across the resistor's terminals. Thus, the ratio of the voltage applied across a resistor's...
s for electric vehicles. By 1951 the product range included electro-pneumatic contactors, and traction motors; in 1952 the company supplied equipment for an order of 700 trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
es for Argentina.
Between the 1950s and 1970s Kiepe Elektrik expanded, with formation of subsidiaries both in Austria (Kiepe Bahn und Kran Electric Ges.m.b.H., 1959.), and elsewhere. In 1973 the company was acquired by ACEC
SA Ateliers de Constructions Electriques de Charleroi
SA Ateliers de Constructions Electriques de Charleroi was a manufacturer of a wide range of electrical products and latterly manufactured the electrical parts for Belgian locomotives and multiple units constructed by BN.-History:...
of Belgium. In 1983 the company was acquired from ACEC by Alsthom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
, then by AEG
AEG
Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in 1883 by Emil Rathenau....
in 1993. During this time Kiepe had become a provider of electrical traction equipment for light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
vehicles.
In 1995 AEG formed Adtranz
Adtranz
ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation , commonly known under its brand Adtranz, was a multi-national rail transport equipment manufacturer with facilities concentrated in Europe and the USA....
with ABB by merging their transportation divisions. As this created a duopoly of electric traction equipment manufacturers in Germany, the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
ruled that the Kiepe subsidiary had to be sold; in 1996 Schaltbau AG acquired the company. In the early 2000s the company expanded into the North American and Italian markets.
On 14 September 2002 Vossloh AG acquired Kiepe Elektrik, and in 2003 the company was renamed Vossloh Kiepe GmbH..
Company structure
Since 2002 the company has been part of the Vossloh group, as of 2009 part of the transportation division (Motive Power & Components) along with Vossloh Locomotives (Kiel, formerly MaKMak
Mak is a Chinese surname. It is commonly transliterated as Mak in Hong Kong, based on the Cantonese pronunciation of the Chinese character; and is commonly transliterated as Mai in China, based on the Mandarin pronunciation. Other transliterations of the surname include Mack, Mark, Mac, and Mach...
) and Vossloh España (formerly Meinfesa).
The company has five subsidiaries:
- Vossloh Kiepe Main Line Technology GmbH (Germany)
- Vossloh Kiepe Ges.m.b.H. (Austria)
- APS electronic AG (Switzerland)
- Vossloh Kiepe S.r.l. (Italy)
- Vossloh Kiepe Corporation (Canada)
Products and services
The company's primary business is the supply and manufacture of electric equipment for rail vehicles, typically tramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s or LRVs (light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
vehicles); the company provides electrical traction converters, auxiliary power supplies, air conditioning and heating equipment. Entire trams and LRVs are typically supplied in association with other manufacturers. Also supplied are specialised electric rail vehicles, and equipment for the modernisation of older electrically powered mass transit vehicles. and traction equipment for trolley buses and hybrid electric buses.
The company often acts as a component supplier to larger integrated rail vehicle manufactures including Siemens, Alstom and Bombardier.
Components for conveyor belt
Conveyor belt
A conveyor belt consists of two or more pulleys, with a continuous loop of material - the conveyor belt - that rotates about them. One or both of the pulleys are powered, moving the belt and the material on the belt forward. The powered pulley is called the drive pulley while the unpowered pulley...
s are also made.