VINCORION LLC, the US subsidiary of the German company VINCORION, has been awarded two major contracts by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) of the US Army worth up to $67 million.
VINCORION LLC, the US subsidiary of German technology company VINCORION, has signed major five-year framework agreements worth up to $33 million each with the US Army’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The contracts cover the maintenance of the Patriot missile defense system’s generator systems to guarantee their operational readiness.
The Patriot system is a globally recognized, state-of-the-art air defense system that plays an important role in defense against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft. The system serves as a key pillar of air defense for the United States, Germany, and NATO.
VINCORION Reaches Important Milestones
The technology company VINCORION is a leading supplier of components for complex defense systems. It can look back on more than thirty years of experience as a supplier for the Patriot system and has received several awards for its outstanding performance during this time.
“We are extremely proud of the fact that the US Army has once again placed its confidence in us and selected our company to supply components for the maintenance of its Patriot systems,” said Thomas Gathmann, President of Vincorion LLC, in El Paso. “These contracts represent an important milestone for VINCORION and confirm our position as a leading supplier of reliable power supply components for defense systems.”
VINCORION Contributing to the Safety and Security of the USA and Its Allies
“The Patriot systems play a crucial role in protecting the population and critical infrastructures,” noted Sascha Brüning, Vice President Business Development at VINCORION. “Through our maintenance services, we are making an important contribution to the operational readiness of these defense systems and therefore to the safety and security of the USA and its allies.”
“The spare parts contract with the US Army is further proof of VINCORION’s expertise, hard work, and dedication,” said Gathmann. “As a subsidiary in the United States, we are ideally positioned to continue playing an important role in maintaining the operational readiness of Patriot systems and other complex defense systems in the future.”
Design of the Patriot Power Supply
Three different power systems are used to supply electricity to Patriot in the field. A generator with an output of 15 kW is used for the launcher, i.e., the unit that carries the Patriot missiles together with the launching device. The command post also has its own power supply with an output of 30 kW.
The heart of the system, however, is the radar and firing control station (known as the “engagement control station”). The largest power system, the “electric power plant,” is used to power this part of the Patriot system. Each EPP is designed with redundancy for maximum reliability and has a capacity of 2x 150 kW as well as load distribution and cabling to the Patriot systems being powered.
Technology company VINCORION is setting the course for the future, with Kajetan von Mentzingen being appointed Management Spokesman with immediate effect and taking over the areas of operational responsibility held by Dr. Stefan Stenzel, who is retiring on May 31, 2024, after over a decade of success in his role.
“We are delighted that Kajetan von Mentzingen is taking on this new challenge,” says Tobias Seige, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the VINCORION Group, “He has extensive experience in the industry and has already worked closely with Dr. Stenzel in the past. We are convinced that he will successfully lead VINCORION into the future in conjunction with Dieter Holst.”
The Success Story Continues
Kajetan von Mentzingen is highly enthusiastic about his new duties: “I feel greatly motivated to take on this responsibility and continue the success story of the VINCORION Group together with Dieter Holst and the entire team. We will continue to focus on our core competencies and support our customers with innovative and tailored solutions.”
Dr. Stefan Stenzel is handing over his position in good conscience: “I am proud to have had an influence on the company over the past twelve years. Working together with the team, VINCORION developed into one of the leading providers of military energy systems and products for the aviation industry. I would like to thank all employees for this and wish Kajetan von Mentzingen and Dieter Holst all the best for the task ahead of them.”
“Over twelve years, Dr. Stefan Stenzel left a lasting influence on our company and, by applying foresight, made it what it is today,” says Tobias Seige. “We give him our deepest thanks for this lifetime achievement and wish him all the very best for his future,” he continues, “We are carrying out a seamless change in the management and believe that Kajetan von Mentzingen and Dieter Holst make a strong management team to continue the VINCORION growth strategy.”
Von Mentzingen emphasizes, “VINCORION has a great footing for the future. We are continuing to invest in new technologies and processes to strengthen our competitiveness and drive our transformation,” adding that the transition will go seamlessly for all customers and suppliers as well as the employees. “Being able to respond to change flexibly is one of VINCORION’s strengths,” the manager says.
About Kajetan von Mentzingen
Kajetan von Mentzingen has many years of experience in the industry. Before his move to VINCORION, he held a variety of leadership roles at well-known companies, such as the Airbus Group starting in 2008. During his career at Airbus, the 50-year-old worked in both the Civil Aviation and the Helicopter divisions as well as in Defence and Space. After multiple positions in Germany, France, and Spain, he most recently held the title of Global Head of Quality at Airbus Defence & Space before joining VINCORION in 2023, where he took over Aviation within the management team.
The technology company VINCORION based in Wedel has signed a contract for the delivery of more than 700 EPG huskyV W 600 onboard generators for the Boxer. Additional orders for future projects are expected, meaning orders for a total of more than 1,000 generators are anticipated. This demonstrates the performance of the company’s military energy systems in armored vehicles, too.
The new VINCORION generator, the EPG huskyV W 600, is a water-cooled onboard generator for use in all scenarios: in the Boxer, it can see to the vehicle’s power supply as well as supplying the various mission modules as it supplies power of up to 600 amperes, making it ready for future requirements, too. A new digital voltage regulator has been incorporated, enabling the generator to be adapted to different applications.
Manufacturers Place Their Trust in VINCORION Components
VINCORION has now signed a framework agreement with KNDS Germany. “Delivery of the generator for the Boxer is a very important order for us,” says Dr. Stefan Stenzel, managing director of VINCORION. “This tells us demand for the Boxer remains high. It also shows that manufacturers of modern military technology are placing their trust in VINCORION components and are using these to equip their vehicles.”
The order currently amounts to approximately twelve million euros. The company anticipates additional orders being placed for these modern generators.
Power Increased from 370 to 600 Amperes
“The new generator fits perfectly in the vehicles’ installation space,” explains Stenzel. This means that, in addition to all new vehicles, existing vehicles could likewise be equipped with it if demand for power grows. The predecessor model, the SF 217, was able to deliver 370 amperes, and this has been increased to 600 amperes in the new version. “Modern military technology requires more energy, among other things for communications and air conditioning. We are specialists in the field of military energy supplies. Be it power supplies for sophisticated electronics or for radar systems, our generator reliably supplies the energy needed.”
Intensive vehicle testing with the Boxer featuring the new generator system has already been conducted in the UK and Australia. The new EPG huskyV W 600 model has therefore already demonstrated its reliability. The VINCORION engineers also report that its performance remained stable at all times in vehicle test-drives of more than 1,000 kilometers conducted in Switzerland. The water cooling of the generator means it can operate irrespective of the ambient conditions.
Peak Performance at all Times
The temperatures in the cooling circuit can increase significantly without adversely affecting performance. The generator is also water-resistant in accordance with protection class IP 67. “The generator experiences next to no losses due to changing ambient temperatures. It therefore delivers peak performance at all times,” emphasizes Stenzel.
The EPG huskyV W 600 is manufactured at the VINCORION plant in Essen, which also produces generators for the Leopard 2 tank and the Puma infantry fighting vehicle. A number of the parts such as mechanical components come from the company headquarters in Wedel. VINCORION has built up considerable expertise in generators at its Essen site – and this is what the major contract is founded on. The company also anticipates being able to recruit additional skilled workers as a result of the order.
Technology Company Delievers Energy Supply
Switzerland has ordered five Patriot™ air and missile defense systems from U.S. manufacturer Raytheon as the Swiss air defense solution under the “Air 2030” program. The power supply for the systems is being provided by the technology company VINCORION, based in Wedel near Hamburg, Germany.
VINCORION is proud to provide the power supply for one of the world’s best air defense systems, as it has again been proven in the Ukraine recently. “This provides the Patriot system with a stable, reliable and battle proven power supply for the radar and fire units”, Stefan Stenzel, CEO of VINCORION, affirms.
Self-Sufficient Radar Operation
The order includes “EPP radarV” (“Electric Power Plants”) units that supply power to the radar system and 15-kilowatt power generators that will be supplied for the Patriot launcher. The order further includes frequency converters rated at 150 kilowatts and converters rated at two times 15 kilowatts each. This allows to power the Patriot System without any CO2 emissions directly from the public grid. In this configuration, the generators remain as back-up power source. “Security and military superiority depend on reliable radar operation that is self-sufficient at all times,” emphasizes Stefan Stenzel. VINCORION manufactures the power supply for Patriot at its site in Altenstadt, Bavaria.
In June of 2021, the Swiss Government announced its intent to purchase the proven Patriot™ system for its ground-based air defence, selected as the preferred solution after evaluation as part of the competitive BODLUV GR Air2030 tender.
Modernizing the Patriot system’s energy supply
Patriot is an air and missile defense system consisting of radars, command and control, and interceptor missiles. It can detect, identify, and engage cruise missiles, drones, advanced fighter aircraft and other airborne threats.
VINCORION is consistently working on modernizing the energy supply. To this end, the company is developing new hybrid solutions. These can reduce fuel consumption and thus lead to lower operating costs. This is because lower emissions mean lower consumption of resources – and help reduce the number of personnel who have to be deployed for refueling operations, for example. However, there are no compromises in terms of performance.
The Patriot system is the basis for an integrated air and missile defense system for 18 nations. In Europe, the system’s customers include Germany, Spain, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Romania. VINCORION has been a supplier to Patriot for 30 years.
The industry award for innovative production and logistics solutions was presented in Gerlingen near Stuttgart, and VINCORION received an award in the “Customer Focus” category. The benchmarking competition for “best practices” in the industry is supported by the German Logistics Association.
The award is presented each year by an independent jury of experts made up of former MX winners under the scientific direction of the Technical University of Berlin. It recognizes innovative production and logistics solutions. The aim of the award is to strengthen Germany as an industrial location by identifying best practices, promoting cross-industry collaboration, and creating a platform for exchange.
Technology company VINCORION specializes in power systems for safety-critical applications – including generators, electric motors and drives, gensets, power electronics, and hybrid power systems. Specific customer requirements are part and parcel of VINCORION’s daily business.
Products Have a Long Service Life
Whether in the air, on the rails, or in military use, solutions from VINCORION must be able to withstand extreme loads. The products are usually in use for several decades and must function reliably over a long product life cycle. As these are all highly regulated areas of application, compliance with a wide range of certifications, guidelines, and standards of quality is a basic prerequisite.
“Our customer focus is therefore based on several pillars: collaboration as partners, in-depth dialogue, and long-term service. To this end, we not only constantly monitor the market in order to meet our customers’ expectations as precisely as possible, but also make customer satisfaction measurable on the basis of specific key figures,” explains Dr. Stefan Stenzel, Managing Director of VINCORION.
Customer Satisfaction as a Measurable Metric
In order to make customer satisfaction comparable on the basis of key figures, VINCORION restructured the company. For this purpose, discussions were held with the nearly fifteen most important customers, in which they disclosed their needs and desires with respect to customer support. Based on this feedback, VINCORION developed new structures and processes. For example, each “top customer” was assigned a key account manager as a point of contact to handle all their concerns and develop a deeper understanding of the customer and their business.
Together, up to four metrics were defined to make customer satisfaction measurable: These include: 1) Adherence to deadlines: Will the product be delivered on time by the agreed upon date? 2) Adherence to ordered quantities: Will the agreed upon quantities be delivered? 3) Complaint rate: Did any errors occur within the warranty period? 4) Communication: Were potential deviations communicated to the customer at an early stage? Once a quarter, customers submit an evaluation of these criteria according to a points system. Finally, VINCORION’s self-assessment and the customer’s external assessment are compared.
Ideas for Product Advancements
VINCORION has been an established supplier for many years, such as for the hydraulic rescue hoist for the NH90 helicopter, which is used in alpine emergencies or rescue missions in flooded areas. In discussions and interviews with helicopter manufacturers and users, the team received ideas for ways to improve the existing product. On this basis, they are working on a new electric rescue hoist, the ERH premierv, which sets new standards in terms of performance, reliability, and safety.
The Leopard 2 is a good example of just how long VINCORION technologies have been in service – the very first units were deployed by the German Armed Forces at the turn of the year 1979/80, and the tank is still in service. VINCORION supplies the weapon aiming and stabilization system for the Leopard 2. In this context, the company uses easy-to-maintain assemblies and modular systems. In addition, the company considered and made the technical preparations needed to allow for further development right from the start.
Maintaining Technology Used for the Long Term
“We face the constant challenge of thinking ahead and developing new products. At the same time, we often have to maintain technology that has been in use for a long time and constantly adapt it to changing challenges,” emphasizes Dr. Stenzel. “The results of the MX Award benchmarking competition provide us with further valuable input in this regard, enabling us to leverage optimization potential at VINCORION and position ourselves for the future even better as a company.”
Registration for the MX Award for the year 2023 is open.
Klaus Lübbers (DIRKS Group), Dr. Manfred Jagiella (Endress+Hauser Gruppe), Marco Lienau (VINCORION), Marcus Golchert (VINCORION), Dr.-Ing. Daniel Roy (MX) und Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Wimmer (MX) are happy about the award (from right to left) (Photo: Marcus Krüger)
VINCORION, a technology company based in Wedel, near Hamburg, Germany, is pleased to announce an important achievement in the development of new power storage systems in Europe: the European Union will support the NOMAD project with a grant worth millions of euros. The project has been awarded a total of about 20 million euros under the European Defence Fund (EDF) for the development of innovative power storage systems. Of this amount, 1.7 million euros from the EU as well as the German Ministry of Defense will go to VINCORION; which is the equivalent of a nearly 100 percent funding quota.
The project, which is being carried out by a consortium of European companies, will launch in 2024 and run for four years. The new power storage units will be used in military installations, operating bases, and camps, among other locations. “What’s particularly exciting for us is that significant parts of the integration and testing process will take place at VINCORION,” said Stefan Stenzel, Managing Director of VINCORION. This will give the company further progress in the latest storage technologies. In addition, this call for tenders will create the opportunity to participate in other EU funding programs aimed at advancing the development of advanced, hybrid, and tactical power supply systems.
Tailored Power Solutions for the Defense Industry
VINCORION manufactures a range of power systems for the defense sector, which are designed to meet massive power demands and can do so with minimal fuel requirements, and in a flexible manner. The company also offers a range of power management systems and converters for military applications.
Working Together across Europe to Increase Safety
VINCORION is particularly pleased that the company’s new funding strategy is proving successful, as the project was already accepted in the first round of the European Defence Fund. The acronym NOMAD stands for “NOvel Power Storage Technologies Usable at MilitAry Deployments in Forward Operating Bases.” The new technologies will be designed jointly by European industry and think tank partners and subsequently also tested in realistic scenarios.
NOMAD is truly a European project – in addition to VINCORION, other companies from Germany, and companies from Spain, France, Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece, Estonia, Slovenia, the Netherlands, and Norway are involved. NOMAD contributes also to the EU subsidy program Energy Operational Function within the framework of the cooperation PESCO, which aims to strengthen member states’ collaboration in defense policy.
The European Union’s EDF program, which was unveiled in 2017, supports defense-related projects. It ranges from the creation of new energy systems to the next generation of fighter aircraft, tanks, and ships to defense technologies such as military clouds, cyberspace, or medical countermeasures. In addition, EDF aims to advance the development of cutting-edge technologies, particularly in the fields of quantum technology and new materials, and to support the cross-border co-operation of small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups.
