Our company history
Experience meets innovation.
Do you already know our company history? K&W Drive Systems was founded in 1996 as a small company with four employees and developed into a successful medium-sized company within a very short time.
In 2023, we split our wide range of products into two companies in order to provide our customers with even more individualized support: K&W Drive Systems and RHK Energy Solutions.
Today, we offer more than 60 qualified employees a secure job and our customers state-of-the-art products and services, perfectly adapted to their needs.
Our company history.
1996
Company foundation.
K&W Drive Systems is founded by Karl Wallisch and Harald Knopf as a company with four employees, operating as a distributor for Allison Transmission, Detroit Diesel and Yanmar in Austria .
1997-2004
Rapid growth.
The first major orders in genset construction and service follow. K&W Drive Systems grows to 16 employees due to sustained success.
2005
Takeover & Partner.
The takeover of Rauscher and the associated partnership with MTU Friedrichshafen doubles the workforce. In the record time of 11 months, a new office building is planned and built for the now 33 employees.
2006-2022
Expansion of the business areas.
In Austria, K&W Drive Systems receives numerous orders for plant construction (emergency power generators) for critical infrastructure, has been a spare parts partner of ÖBB for over 15 years and celebrates the installation of the 50th combined heat and power plant (CHP) for sewage treatment plants.
Subsidiaries are established in Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic to provide even better local customer support. These include railroad companies for which comprehensive services are provided. The planning and installation of combined heat and power plants (CHP) for district heating plants, data centers and industry is another milestone in the success story.
The team grows to over 70 employees.
2023
RHK Energy Solutions GmbH.
Since 25.2.2023 K&W Drive Systems, KNOPF & WALLISCH Getriebe und Motoren Vertriebs-GesmbH operates under the name RHK Energy Solutions GmbH.
RHK Energy Solutions GmbH is an authorized distributor for MTU / Rolls Royce Solutions, with well-known customers in Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.
A new company with 10 employees is founded for the brands Allison Transmission, Yanmar and Mahindra, which operates under the name K&W Drive Systems, WALLISCH Getriebe und Motoren Vertriebs-GesmbH.
