About Zero-Max
With over 70 years of experience, we are one of the leading suppliers in the field of power transmission technology. With our couplings, drives and other products we set standards on the market. Due to more and more complex applications and requirements of our customers, we continuously underline our innovative power when it comes to customized solutions.
Zero-Max' product portfolio covers a wide range of applications, from high performance applications in the packaging industry to applications in agriculture with harsh environmental conditions.
It all began in 1949 when the pioneer and inventor Sterling Stageberg from Minnesota developed a unique and revolutionary mechanical gearbox. Stageberg’s development made it possible to continuously adjust the output speed while retaining a constant drive speed.
This adjustable speed drive was originally designed for use in windshield wiper applications in passenger cars, but the innovative product finally achieved its breakthrough in industrial applications. At the time, these drives were crucial components for gaining significant market advantages in various industries. This completely new concept also provided the company name Zero-Max, which is still used today and can be found on all products.
Further ground-breaking developments and success stories have taken place over the decades. Over the past 70 years, a broad and unique product range has been developed and made available to the market. From the initial product design to the final concept, Zero-Max has made a name for itself as a recognized and innovative partner for drive technology solutions.
For example, unique products such as the Crown right-angle gearbox (1975) and the offset coupling (1984) were integrated. In 1989, the still revolutionary composite disc coupling was introduced to the market as a backlash-free shaft coupling with high-performance fiber composite as the support material. This innovative coupling concept offers product advantages on the edge of feasibility, particularly regarding requirements for misalignment compensation and difficult areas of application.
Also in 1989, Zero-Max became part of the Japanese family-owned Miki Pulley Group. Another milestone was the acquisition and expansion of the portfolio to include the products of Helland Research & Engineering Inc. in 1990. The integration of the Torq-Tender safety coupling and the radial load adaptors (Overhung Load Adaptor) enhanced the market presence, and the product range was extended to other industries.
In response to growing demand on the European market and the continuous development of the wind technology market, the production and development facility in Silkeborg, Denmark (Zero-Max A/S) was established in 2009. Until today, growing market requirements and new technologies make it necessary to constantly develop further. Further highlights were also recorded in the following years, always under the premise “From the land of unlimited possibilities to the whole world!”
Then as now, Zero-Max’s corporate culture stands for continuous product improvement in line with our responsibility towards our customers and employees. It is in Zero-Max’s DNA to evaluate new challenges. In the fundamental search for possibilities and improvements, we are always focused on raising the performance of all products to a new level.
Our mission is to give our customers a reason to rely on us in the future. Our ambition is therefore to offer the best possible service in combination with the optimal product solutions.
The way Zero-Max operates is based on our three pillars (P.Q.S.):
“P” – Passion:
We can proudly say that we are passionate about our company culture and our people, this is reflected in the fully integrated and involved processes where manufacturing, engineering, sales, quality and all other departments feel valued together under one roof.
“Q” – Quality:
The foundation of a state-of-the-art corporate culture is the conviction that state-of-the-art machines, inspection and testing equipment, in harmony with highly qualified skilled workers, are crucial points in ensuring our quality standards. These prerequisites ensure that products from Zero-Max can convince with precision, reliability and durability. For more than 70 years now, our products have been confirming our high-quality standards and proving their performance in demanding applications on a daily basis. To underline our quality standards, Zero-Max Inc. is certified according to ISO 9001:2015. This ensures that we can guarantee reliable, safe and durable solutions of the best possible quality.
“S” – Service:
Our customers and partners are firmly anchored at the center of all our efforts. Customer-oriented resource planning enables prompt and targeted solutions that take individual challenges into account. Our global orientation with our production and technology centers, coupled with strategic partners and established commercial agencies, offer a maximum degree of supply chain security.
Products from Zero-Max Inc. stand for unique and innovative solutions that have improved efficiency and performance for decades. Our customers benefit from our technical and application-specific expertise in various fields and applications. Our experienced and well-trained team will be happy to support you in realizing an ideal product implementation. Zero-Max Inc. sees itself as a solution-oriented manufacturer and developer of unique and individual products. In our company history, we have already been able to prove our efficiency several times. We aim to offer our customers and interested parties the best possible solution, even for small quantities or one-off projects.
According to the slogan “No application is too demanding or unique” for a Zero-Max product, over the years we have been able to successfully equip many application areas with products from Zero-Max. From heavy-duty machines for mobile hydraulic applications to high-tech machines for computer chip manufacturing – Zero-Max has always been able to find a tailor-made solution to meet the highest demands.
Worldwide partnerships
Zero-Max Inc. is proud of its worldwide partnerships with leading manufacturers in the field of drive technology. Our global network enables us to offer high quality products and components at competitive prices.
Miki Pulley Co. Ltd
For the Asian market, the family-run Japanese parent company Miki Pulley Co. Ltd. stands for constant and steady growth. Over the decades, Miki Pulley Co. Ltd. has earned a reputation as an innovative and reliable supplier in the field of power transmission technology. Since 2014, the European branch Miki Pulley Europe AG has been successfully implemented
Miki Pulley Europe AG / VMA Antriebstechnik GmbH
To further increase its market presence, the German company VMA Antriebstechnik GmbH was successfully acquired in 2016. VMA Antriebstechnik GmbH stands for know-how and many years of experience in drive technology. In its more than 40-year company history, up to 20 national and international patents have been registered.
The European subsidiary of Zero-Max Inc. is based in Silkeborg, Denmark. Due to the continuing demand in the wind energy sector and the steady growth in the European market, the branch office was officially established in 2009.