About us from the beginning

The AVN Group history

The AVN Group
Already in 1933, when Alfred V. Nielsen founded his company, the position was clear.

The important thing is to have the right products and to be able to offer expertise from some of the best manufactures of industrial products in the world.

The AVN Group holding company
The parent company is taking care of the administrative assignments of the Group, such as the operation of properties, secretariat, accounting and IT and cash management.

Besides the parent company the AVN Group consists of 5 subsidiaries. Each company has its own business area with skilled employees, all working according to one common position: "The technical part must be perfect". But that's not enough - it is also very much about the competence and tailor-made solutions.

Growth through acquisitions
Through acquisitions the AVN Group has strengthened itself within its core competences. The automation company Industri Consult A/S, which was located in Silkeborg, was taken over already in 1991 in order to obtain a strong position west of the Great Belt.

The company group J. Raben was acquired in the year 2000. The result was that the two well-known companies Alfred V. Nielsen A/S and Raben Værktøj A/S was merged into AVN Teknik in 2001. At the same time Raben Maskiner A/S was renamed AVN Pladeteknik.

The AVN Group activities are gathered in Brøndby
It was decided to combine the activities of the AVN Group in Brøndby and Herlev at one location i 2004. The head office in Brøndby was then expanded with another 630 m2 office and high bay warehouse. In November 2004 AVN Teknik and AVN Pladeteknik therefore moved into the newly built premises together with the other AVN companies.

Establishment in India
In order to follow the customers and the market of wind turbines in India, AVN Hydraulic founded a subsidiary in the city of Bengalore in 2006. The activities were from the very beginning both sale and production of hydraulic and cooling systems.

Inaugurates a new R&D centre in Silkeborg
In Silkeborg it was decided to focus even more on the assignments as subcontractor to the wind turbine industry. A building of 3.300 m2, located on Bergsøesvej 14 and approx. 200 m from the existing buildings on Suensonsvej 10-14, was purchased in 2007. In January 2008 a brand-new R&D centre was inaugurated in Silkeborg - 1.600 m2 including offices and test area, only for the development og hydraulic and cooling systems, primarily for wind turbines. At the same time another warehouse of 800 m2 was built. In total AVN now had 10.000 m2 under roof in Silkeborg.

AVN Hydraulik was split up into two companies
In 2008 in order to keep focus on both hydraulic for the industry and hydraulic and cooling for wind turbines. The names of the two companies are hereafter AVN Hydraulik and AVN Energy. The same year AVN Pneumatik and AVN Automation merges and both are moved to Bergsøesvej 14 as AVN Automation.

Acquisition of company in cutting tools
AVN Teknik wanted to strengthen itself within its field of cutting tools. In 2008 it was therefore decided to buy the company Eg Tooling ApS, which was later merged into AVN Teknik.

Domicile for AVN Hydraulik in Brøndby
The site had gradually become too small in Brøndby, so during spring 2008 the neighbouring ground at Dalager 3-5 was bought. In January 2009 a new house of 2.200 m2 was inaugurated here for AVN Hydraulik, with offices, workshop and warehouse. The result was more space on Dalager 1 for AVN Pladeteknik, AVN Teknik as well as the parent company.

Establishment in China
In order to follow the customers and the market of wind turbines in China, AVN Energy founded a subsidiary in the city of Suzhou near Shanghai in 2009. The activities were from the very beginning both sale and production of hydraulic and cooling systems.

Divestment of AVN Energy
The AVN Group sells AVN Energy to the Hydratech Group in January 2011.

Merger between AVN Automation and AVN Teknik
AVN Automation and AVN Teknik merged in 2012. Automation becomes an independent business area under AVN Teknik.

Acquisition of hydraulics company
AVN Hydraulik acquires the company BB Hydraulik Service A/S located in Odense in 2015. BB Hydraulik Service continues with its own name, but as a part of the AVN Group.

Expand of premises in Odense
The premises of BB Hydraulik Service in Odense were expanded in 2016 with a new 700 m2 workshop area with a 5-ton travers crane mounted in the ceiling.

AVN Hydraulik is establishing itself in China
AVN Hydraulik opens a department in China in the city of Suzhou near Shanghai in 2016.

Another acquisition of hydraulics activities
AVN Hydraulik acquires the service activities in PMC Hydraulics in 2017. These activities were until 2005 in the company Hydropower A/S. The activities now continue under the name AVN Hydropower with head office in Esbjerg.

AVN Teknik is expanding its activities
At the beginning of January 2021, AVN Teknik acquires the company Tool-part. Tool-part is strong in holding tools and therefore fits well with AVN Teknik's program of machining tools under the Production business area.

AVN acquires Masytec
In 2021, AVN Hydraulik acquired the company Masytec A/S. In 2022 the company moves to Dalager 5 in Brøndby and continues with its own name the delivery of their strong solutions for central lubrication for industry and off-road - now as part of the AVN Group.

The AVN Group today
Today 167 skilled and competent employees are working in the AVN Group. Many of them have been employed for several years. They are the main reason that we can say "we know how" - regardless the assignment we are facing.

The AVN Group is located in Brøndby, Odense, Esbjerg, Kolding, Silkeborg and Ålborg

The AVN Group is specialists within sheet processing machinery, hydraulics, automation, hand tools, cutting tools, power and compressed air tools, assembly solutions, abrasive materials and rivets.

The AVN Group today consists of the companies:
AVN Gruppen A/S
AVN Invest A/S
AVN Pladeteknik A/S
AVN Teknik A/S
AVN Hydraulik A/S
AVN Hydropower A/S
AVN Hydraulic (Ningbo) Co., Ltd
BB Hydraulik A/S
Masytec A/S

Ole Krabbe
CEO

Michael Gaarmann
Chairman of the Board

Henrik Tyge Krabbe
Board Member

Peter Krabbe
Former board member, group director and chairman of the board

Alfred V. Nielsen
Founder

Our history in chronological order

2023          The AVN's former chairman and owner Peter Krabbe passes away (83 years old)
2022          Masytec A/S moves to Dalager 5 in Brøndby
2021          AVN Hydraulik acquires the company Masytec A/S
2021          AVN Teknik acquires the company Tool-part ApS
2020          CEO Ole Krabbe celebrates his 25th anniversary in the AVN Group
2019          Michael Gaarmann takes over as Chairman of the Board after Peter Krabbe
2017          AVN Hydraulik buys the service activities in PMC Hydraulics
2016          AVN Hydraulik starts a production and sales company in China, Suzhou
2016          AVN Group expands the building in Odense with 700 m2 for BB Hydraulik Service
2015          AVN Hydraulik acquires the company BB Hydraulik Service in Odense
2012          The company Peter Krabbe Holding A/S change name to AVN Gruppen A/S
2011          AVN Energy is sold out of the AVN Group to Hydratech Industries
2009          AVN Energy starts a production and sales company in China, Suzhou
2008          AVN Teknik acquires the company Eg Tooling
2008          AVN Hydraulik gets a new and bigger building in Broendby
2008          AVN Hydraulik moves the wind activity to a new company AVN Energy
2006          AVN Hydraulik starts a production and sales company in India, Bangalore
2005          Ole Krabbe becomes CEO for the AVN Group
2005          Peter Krabbe retires (65 years old), and becomes chairman of the board
2004          Raben Group moves to AVN in Broendby in a new building
2000          AVN acquires the Raben Group in Herlev
1998          The 2 sons of Peter Krabbe - Ole and Henrik - become board members and get shares
1995          Ole Krabbe starts in AVN Hydraulik as internal engineer
1995          New address and building in Silkeborg
1993          Foundation of AVN Elektronik A/S
1991          AVN acquires the company Industri Consult A/S in Silkeborg
1983          The companies AVN Maskin and Donewell is sold out of the AVN Group
1982          Foundation of Peter Krabbe Holding A/S
1980          The founder Alfred V. Nielsen passes away (92 years old)
1978          Foundation of AVN Hydraulik A/S
1978          Foundation of Alfred V. Nielsen A/S
1977          AVN acquires the company Donewell A/S
1977          Foundation of AVN Pneumatik A/S
1973          Foundation of AVN Maskin A/S
1972          Peter Krabbe buys all shares and takes over the AVN Group, Peter Krabbe is the group CEO
1967          AVN headquarter moves from Copenhagen to Broendby
1965          Peter Krabbe starts in AVN as chief accountant
1945          AVN becomes distributor for Desoutter, which we still are
1933          The company is founded by Alfred V. Nielsen

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