IMO Unternehmensgruppe

IMO Unternehmensgruppe is a German industrial group that develops and manufactures large-diameter rolling bearings (slewing bearings) and ready-to-install gear system assemblies (slewing drives). The company is headquartered in Gremsdorf in the Nuremberg metropolitan region of Bavaria, where it also operates its production site. It was founded in 1988 as IMO Industrie-Momentenlager Stoll & Russ GmbH, initially focusing on the development, production and sale of slewing bearings, particularly for use in wind turbines. Over the following decades the group expanded its product range and corporate structure, adding the IMO Antriebseinheit in 1994 for slewing drives and later establishing IMO Energy for solar technology solutions. IMO's core products are ball slewing bearings, roller slewing bearings and combined slewing bearings in sizes from 100 mm to 6000 mm, as well as ready-to-install slewing drives with pinion or worm gearboxes. The company developed and patented its first slewing drives in 1993. While it offers a broad range of standard series, its main focus is on customized bearing and slewing solutions developed in close cooperation with customers. Typical application areas include renewable energy (wind turbine blade and tower bearings), tunnel boring machines, construction machinery, and general industrial machinery. The group states that it has supplied customers with slewing bearings and slewing drives for more than three decades, with quality "made in Germany." IMO is an owner-managed, privately held company. It has production facilities in Gremsdorf, Germany, and through IMO USA Corp. in North Charleston, South Carolina, USA, as well as a representative office in Beijing, China. The group has more than 500 employees and reported revenue of over 60 million euros in 2013. It has received recognition as one of Bavaria's Best 50 companies (2003, 2005, 2007) and was listed among Europe's 500 fastest-growing companies (2005–2007). The company collaborates with research institutions such as the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES) and the Institute of Machine Design and Tribology (IMKT) at Leibniz University Hannover, and is a member of the Forschungsvereinigung Antriebstechnik and the German Wind Energy Association (Bundesverband WindEnergie e.V.).

The IMO Unternehmensgruppe traces its origins to 1988, when IMO Industrie-Momentenlager Stoll & Russ GmbH was founded in Gremsdorf, near Höchstadt/Aisch in Bavaria, Germany. The company's initial focus was the development, production and distribution of slewing bearings, especially for wind turbines. In 1993, IMO developed and patented its first slewing drives, marking an expansion into complete drive system assemblies. The following year, 1994, saw the founding of IMO Antriebseinheit, a separate entity dedicated to the development, manufacture and sale of slewing drives. In 2001, IMO Antriebseinheit moved into its own facility in the Gremsdorf industrial park. During the 2000s, the group received several awards and recognitions. It was named one of Bavaria's Best 50 companies in 2003, 2005 and 2007, an award presented by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs. From 2005 to 2007, IMO was listed in the top third of Europe's 500, a ranking of the 500 fastest-growing companies in Europe. In 2004, the original company was renamed IMO Momentenlager GmbH. A further restructuring took place in 2007, when IMO Holding GmbH was established as the umbrella organization for IMO Momentenlager GmbH & Co. KG, IMO Antriebseinheit GmbH & Co. KG and IMO Energy GmbH & Co. KG. The global financial crisis hit the company hard. In February 2009, weekend shifts were eliminated and 179 employees were laid off, while remaining staff were put on short-time work (Kurzarbeit) of 20–40%. At that point, approximately 1,100 employees remained. In November 2011, another wave of layoffs saw more than 100 employees dismissed; with 174 redundancies, the workforce shrank from 924 to 750. The IG Metall union criticized the company for not informing employees in a timely manner and for the social plan being partially announced only after the dismissals. On 12 March 2013, IMO Momentenlager GmbH & Co. KG was renamed IMO GmbH & Co. KG, and IMO Energy GmbH & Co. KG ceased to exist. A further round of layoffs followed in May 2013, when 120 of the remaining 650 employees were dismissed. Despite these challenges, IMO continued to operate and invest in technology. The company collaborates with research institutions such as the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES) and the Institute of Machine Design and Tribology (IMKT) at Leibniz University Hannover. In the joint research project HAPT (Highly Accelerated Pitch Bearing Test), the team works on advancing blade bearings for the wind energy industry. IMO is also a member of the Forschungsvereinigung Antriebstechnik and the Bundesverband WindEnergie e.V. As of the 2010s, the group employed over 500 people and generated revenue of more than 60 million euros in 2013. It maintains production sites in Gremsdorf, Germany, and through IMO USA Corp. in North Charleston, South Carolina, USA, plus a representative office in Beijing, China.

• 2013

  IMO Momentenlager GmbH & Co. KG renamed IMO GmbH & Co. KG; IMO Energy GmbH & Co. KG dissolved; further 120 layoffs.

• 2011

  More than 100 employees laid off; workforce shrinks from 924 to 750.

• 2009

  Financial crisis leads to 179 layoffs and short-time work for remaining staff.

• 2007

  Restructured under IMO Holding GmbH; awarded Bavaria's Best 50 again.

• 2005

  Listed in the top third of Europe's 500 fastest-growing companies; also awarded Bavaria's Best 50.

• 2004

  Company renamed IMO Momentenlager GmbH.

• 2003

  Awarded as one of Bavaria's Best 50 companies.

• 2001

  IMO Antriebseinheit moves to its own site in Gremsdorf industrial park.

• 1994

  IMO Antriebseinheit founded, focusing on slewing drives.

• 1993

  First slewing drives developed and patented.

• 1988

  IMO Industrie-Momentenlager Stoll & Russ GmbH founded in Gremsdorf, Germany.

Premium German engineering, customized high-quality slewing bearings and drives, customer proximity, made in Germany.

• Ball slewing bearings

  Standard and custom ball slewing bearings for axial, radial and tilting moment loads.

• Roller slewing bearings

  Roller slewing bearings for higher load capacities.

• Combined slewing bearings

  Combined bearings for simultaneous axial and radial loads and tilting moments.

• Slewing drives with pinion gear

  Ready-to-install drive units with pinion gearbox.

• Slewing drives with worm gear

  Ready-to-install drive units with worm gearbox.

• Blade and tower bearings for wind turbines

  Specialized bearings for wind energy applications.

1. 1IMO official website homepageimo.de
2. 2IMO official website - About usimo.de
3. 3Wikidata entry for IMO Unternehmensgruppewikidata.org
4. 4German Wikipedia article on IMO Unternehmensgruppede.wikipedia.org