Nordex Bets on Patented Know-How for Wind Turbine Towers – Acquisition of C1 Connections Agreed
Hamburg – Wind turbine manufacturer Nordex has signed an acquisition agreement with Dutch engineering company C1 Connections. Nordex intends to take over a patented connection technology for onshore wind turbine towers as well as a specialised engineering team.
Nordex Expands Tower Technology Expertise
The agreement covers the patented C1 Wedge Connection for onshore applications, the related portfolio of intellectual property rights and technical know-how, and a specialised engineering team. The parties agreed not to disclose the financial terms. C1 Connections’ offshore activities are not part of the transaction and will be continued in a newly established company.
The company, founded in 2017, was backed by investors Shift Invest and Dolfin Capital. Nordex plans to combine the connection technology with its existing turbine and tower development and thereby expand its range of solutions for selected wind energy projects.
C1 Wedge Connection: 50 to 60 Percent Lower Connection Weight
The C1 Wedge Connection was developed as an alternative to conventional bolted flange connections. In the system, tubular tower sections are joined using specially designed connecting elements and wedges. The design is intended to withstand high loads while reducing the amount of material used for the connection.
According to C1 Connections, the connection is typically 50 to 60 percent lighter than a conventional bolted L-flange connection under comparable loads. The weight saving applies to the connection, not to the wind turbine tower as a whole. According to the company, the technology is also intended to simplify assembly through comparatively lightweight connecting elements and hand-held tools.
The technology has already been examined in load and fatigue tests and trialled in full-scale assembly tests. According to C1 Connections, the system received DNV component certification for tower connections in 2021, which was extended to further connection applications in 2023. In April 2025, the company also reported the installation of the connection technology in a prototype turbine in Denmark.
New Tower Technologies: Manufacturers Turn to Modular Designs
The development of larger onshore wind turbines is increasing the demands on tower designs. Besides conventional tubular steel towers, concrete-steel hybrid towers and modular steel structures are also being used. A scientific study from the University of Coimbra published in April 2026 cites transport restrictions, assembly requirements and the structural load-bearing capacity of connections as key challenges for segmented tower systems.
Major turbine manufacturers are also developing their tower technologies further. Enercon offers modular hybrid steel towers, among other designs. Nordex has already developed its own concrete-steel hybrid towers with a hub height of 179 m and uses them, among other applications, with N175/6.X wind turbines.
With the agreed acquisition, Nordex is expanding its technological know-how in tower connections. The company has not yet said in which tower concepts and projects the C1 technology is to be used in future.
Nordex Shares Up Sharply Since Start of Year
Nordex shares, which are included in the RENIXX World index, have risen sharply since the start of 2026. According to IWR price data, the stock closed at EUR 41.90 on November 11, 2026, up 0.7 percent from the previous day’s close of EUR 41.62. Compared with the end of 2025 (EUR 29.18), this represents a price gain of 43.6 percent.
Source: IWR Online, 12 Nov 2026
