2012 | Change of CEO as of 01/04/2012, strategic alignment: complete provider of controlled drive systems under VEMoDRIVE. |
2011 | VEM Sachsenwerk looks back on 125 years of electrical engineering in Dresden. Commissioning of 6 MW large machine test bay including new assembly hall of 1,440 m². The core business is based on the manufacture of special drives and drive solutions for individual industrial applications. Development of wind energy generators of up to 7 MW. |
2010 / 2009 | The global financial crisis results in a dramatic slump in sales in the wind energy sector up to 2.5 MW in particular. |
2003 | VEM Sachsenwerk celebrates its centennial. VEM Sachsenwerk is active on the international market as a provider of electrical medium and high-voltage machines with an output of up to 34,000 kW. The company assumes a position as market leader with its range of double-fed wind energy generators of 1.5 to 5.4 MW. |
2002 | The 1,000th wind energy generator leaves the company premises in autumn. |
2000 | VEM Sachsenwerk achieves a technological top performance with the delivery of the world's largest compressor drive with an output of 23.5 MW for the LDPD project in Basell, France. |
1998 | On 01 July Sachsenwerk receives its traditional name again, now being known as VEM Sachsenwerk GmbH. |
1997 | On 01 January the company is privatised, passing into the ownership of the corporate group of the Blaubeuren entrepreneur family Dr. Adolf Merckle. |
1995 | Orders fall to a volume of 20.82 m euros. This results in a reduction in the workforce from 613 to 403 employees. |
1993 | On 29 June the company is spun off from the public limited company as VEM-Elektroantriebe GmbH. |
1992 | In July the trustee organisation allocates VEM-Antriebstechnik AG to Horst Plaschna Management GmbH & Co. Beteiligungs- und -verkaufs KG Berlin. |
1991 | On 30 June the company merges with VEM-Antriebstechnik GmbH. Sales stand at 61.16 m euros. The company now has a workforce of 2,105 employees. |
1990 | On 05 April the GDR combine with all associated operations is transformed into Aktiengesellschaft VEM –Antriebstechnik AG. Prior to this the 15 companies of the Elektromaschinenbau Dresden combine were transformed into limited liability companies (GmbH). Sachsenwerk is hereafter known as VEM Sachsenwerk GmbH Dresden. VEM Sachsenwerk launches the insulation systems VEMoDUR VPI-155 and VPI-200 on the market as own developments. |
1984 | 13 July sees the formation of the core company VEB Elektromaschinenbau Dresden. This company comprises the firms Sachsenwerk, Elbtalwerk Heidenau, Elektromotorenwerk Dresden, Elektromotorenwerk Ost and the research and development centre. |
1980 | In the 1980s Sachsenwerk occupies a key position in the economy of the GDR as sole manufacturer of medium-sized and large electrical machines. The machines are employed in particular in heavy engineering and plant engineering, vehicle and ship building, in the coal and energy industry as well as the chemicals sector. August 1980 sees the 25th 10 MVA synchronous rail transformer delivered to the Deutsche Reichsbahn, satisfying all requirements of schedule and quality. At 145 tonnes, this product is the largest and heaviest item to be manufactured thus far by the electrical engineering sector of the GDR. |
1970 | The beginning of the year (01 January) sees VVB (Vereinigung volkseigener Betriebe) Elektromaschinen transformed into VEB Kombinat Elektromaschinenbau (KEM). The core operations of the combine comprise VEB Elektromaschinenbau Sachsenwerk and the firms VEB Elbtalwerk Heidenau, VEB Elektromotorenwerk Dresden and VEB Elektromotorenbau Zittau. |
1968 | The Sachsenwerk insulation system is officially registered under the "VEMoDUR" trademark. |
1960 | The first standard motors roll off the production line in the new factory. The first single-phase alternating current traction motors for 16 2/3 Hz locomotives are manufactured. |
1958 | This year sees the beginning of the construction of the new standard motor factory on the company site, designed according to state-of-the-art principles. |
1954 | Following the return of the plant to the GDR the company is incorporated into HV EM (Hauptverwaltung Elektromaschinenbau) at the beginning of the year. Its name is now VEB Elektromaschinenbau Sachsenwerk Dresden-Niederselitz. |
1953 | The popular uprising of 17 June is also experienced in Dresden. In the city the protest march is led by 2,000 Sachsenwerk employees. The protesters demand the resignation of the government, free and secret elections and the release of all political prisoners. The uprising is quelled by the intervention of the Soviet military. Until the end of the year Sachsenwerk operates as SAG company (Sowjetische Aktiengesellschaft, a Soviet stock company) and is part of the Soviet "Kabel" company. |
1949 | The company takes part in its first foreign trade fairs in Stockholm, Prague, Poznan and Budapest, as well as the Leipzig spring fair. |
1948 | Volkseigene Elektro-Maschinenbau VEM comes into existence on 01 July. It also includes operations of VVB EM (Vereinigung Volkseigener Betriebe Elektromaschinenbau) outside of Dresden. |
1946 | The AEG and SSW operations are nationalised. The management staff are replaced or move to western Germany. Extensive development and production documents are lost in the process. Part of these are used as the basis for production for Sachsenwerk GmbH, established in southern Germany. On the 01 or 15 August the Elektronische Fabrik Sachsenwerk Dresden-Niedersedlitz company of the Soviet stock company “Kabel” is created under the leadership of the Soviet Director General S. A. Fomenko. |
1945 | The end of the war also has far-reaching consequences for Sachsenwerk. A lack of spare parts and high capacity utilisation have led to severe wear and tear of machines. The companies of AEG and SSW (Siemens-Schuckert-Werke), including Sachsenwerk Licht- und Kraft AG, were closely integrated into the war production programme, with the shareholders of the central German electrical engineering companies involved in the armaments sector. As a result, this year and the following year see extensive confiscation of plant by the Soviets. Workforce, production and sales figures fall significantly. 410 Sachsenwerk employees lost their lives in the Second World War. |
1930 | In the 1930s the first "standard motor series" (low-voltage asynchronous motors) are created, marking the dawn of an era of design and technology at Sachsenwerk. |
1925 | This year sees the beginning of the development and construction of tram motors for the legendary Dresden "Großer Hechtwagen", in use from 1931 to 1972 and followed by the "Kleiner Hechtwagen" (in use from 1936 – 1972). With its distinctive form it is a key feature of street life in Dresden. |
1924 | The beginning of production of radio receivers signals the beginning of a secondary production segment that is to endure for decades. |
1920 | In the 1920s the product range is characterised by direct-current machines, three-phase machines and compensated three-phase motors. The equipping of the first pumped storage and dam plants in Dresden with hydro-electric generators includes both horizontal and vertical models. |
1918 | 75 Sachsenwerk employees are killed in the First World War. |
1914 | During the First World War (1914 – 1918) the product range is dominated by orders from the war and navy ministry. |
1913 | Ten years after its founding Sachsenwerk Licht- und Kraft-AG has already manufactured 50,000 machines. |
1911 | Sachsenwerk is one of the first German companies to organise its own apprentice training. |
1903 | eingetragen.03 March sees the laying of the foundation stone for the history of Sachsenwerk with the conclusion of the articles of association of "Sachsenwerk, Licht- und Kraft- Aktiengesellschaft with registered offices in Dresden". On 29 April the company is recorded in the commercial register. |