Deutz to acquire Urban Mobility Systems
The German motor manufacturer Deutz is expanding its technology base with the acquisition of the Dutch “innovation leader in the field of battery-electric drives for off-highway applications”, Urban Mobility Systems (UMS). So far, the two companies have signed a purchase agreement for 100% of the shares from UMS and its parent company UMS Holding B.V. to go to Deutz. By expanding its technology base, Deutz plans to “target new customer groups in the transportation and logistics sector,” as well as accelerate R&D for alternative drives, utilizing UMS’ electrification kits, which allow for improved retrofitting of conventional drives and include swappable batteries.
A purchase price for the acquisition was not published, however, the Deutz specifies in its press release that UMS generated about €10 million in revenue in 2024. The company expects “high-double-digit millions” in terms of new orders, which “are placed by major customers who rely on UMS as a one-stop shop for the electrification of their machines.”
“By acquiring UMS, DEUTZ is accelerating the development of battery-electric drives for heavy-duty applications and will immediately facilitate the electrification of larger off-highway machines,” says DEUTZ CEO Dr. Sebastian C. Schulte. “We are thus taking a strategically important step under our Dual+ strategy and will play a key role in the consolidation of the market for internal combustion engines and for climate-friendly drives used to power large machines.”
UMS-CEO and -CTO Lars Kool added: “DEUTZ’s 161 years of industrial experience and its modern production network at major sites in Germany make it the ideal partner for automating battery assembly and the production of e-kits and ramping them up for mass distribution.”
Deutz has been dabbling in multiple application directions with drive development in the last years, for example with its former electric boat company Torqeedo, which was sold to Yamaha early last year. In 2023, a development cooperation for electric drives was announced with Daimler Truck. Now, the company is expanding capacities in construction, which has been a core capacity for some time.
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