Every industrial movement, whether conveying goods, mixing dough, or lifting heavy loads, needs a drive behind it. Different applications carry different demands. NORD DRIVESYSTEMS meets those demands by offering a broad modular product range. The Company combines motors, gear units, and drive electronics into tailor-made solutions for specific industry needs.
Figure 1: NORD DRIVESYSTEMS global brand presence highlighting its worldwide industrial drive solutions network [Courtesy: NORD]
NORD does not simply supply components. The Company selects, designs, and calculates the right drive configuration for each application. This transforms individual parts into a complete, fit-for-purpose NORD drive systems solution. As NORD head of marketing Jörg Niermann put it, “Requirements are changing, and we are actively following this path.”
A Modular System Built for Countless Combinations
NORD DRIVESYSTEMS has built its offering around a modular architecture. The product range covers all core components of modular industrial drive technology, including gear units, electric motors, and drive electronics.
These components can be combined in a wide variety of configurations to meet the precise requirements of any application.
This approach gives industrial operators a single-source solution. Rather than managing multiple suppliers, customers work with NORD from specification through to delivery.
The Company serves more than 100 industries globally, spanning food and beverage, intralogistics, water and wastewater, airport baggage handling, and heavy-duty industrial sectors.
IE5+ Motor Efficiency Sets a New Standard
Surpassing the Highest Defined Energy Class
One of the clearest examples of NORD’s modular advantage is energy efficiency. NORD has developed electric motors that comply with all relevant international energy regulations.
Figure 2: NORD IE5+ motor systems showcasing high-efficiency modular drive technology for industrial applications [Courtesy: NORD]
Its IE5+ synchronous motors go further, surpassing the efficiencies of the currently highest defined energy efficiency class, IE5.
Key features of NORD’s IE5+ motor include:
- Latest generation permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) technology
- Compact, ventilated design for cool and consistent operation
- Motor-integrated encoder included as standard
- Optional integrated mechanical brake
- High compatibility with NORD variable frequency drives
- Supports significant reduction in system variants and operating costs
DuoDrive: One Housing, Maximum Efficiency
The IE5+ motor efficiency NORD advantage is taken further through the DuoDrive integrated gear unit and motor concept. DuoDrive combines the IE5+ synchronous motor with a single-stage helical gear unit inside one housing.
At 92%, DuoDrive currently achieves the highest system efficiency in this power class. Compact installation space, high power density, and very low noise emissions are among its key advantages.
Because DuoDrive requires no fan cooling thanks to its low power loss, it also generates very low noise emissions of a maximum 65 dB(A). This makes it well suited for sound-sensitive environments such as airport check-in areas and intralogistics facilities.
Together with simple usability, this results in a significant reduction in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) compared to existing drive systems.
Figure 3: NORD ECO system illustrating energy optimisation tools for reducing consumption and improving drive system efficiency [Courtesy: NORD]
The NORD ECO efficiency analysis service complements this further, allowing users to plan and implement upcoming drive tasks with optimal energy consumption from the outset.
Condition Monitoring and IIoT Integration
NORD drive systems solutions now extend beyond mechanical performance into intelligent data management. NORD can integrate condition monitoring directly into its drive solutions. Using an IIoT-enabled setup, drive and operational status data is captured and analysed via the integrated PLC of the frequency inverter.
This data can be fed into a customer’s central systems for full visibility. The key benefits of this capability include:
- Real-time determination and analysis of drive and status data
- Information sharing with central user systems
- Support for predictive maintenance strategies
- Reduction in unplanned downtime
- Improvement in overall system efficiency
This approach allows machinery and equipment to be maintained proactively rather than reactively. For industries where uptime is critical, such as food production or intralogistics, this represents a meaningful operational advantage.
Serving More Than 100 Industries With Application Expertise
NORD’s modular industrial drive technology is only one part of the equation. The Company’s application expertise across more than 100 industries is equally important. NORD works with customers to understand their specific operating environment before recommending a drive configuration.
With 48 companies in 36 countries worldwide, NORD is close to its customers. This global presence means local support, local assembly, and rapid on-site service are available wherever customers operate.
The Company also maintains more than 60 assembly facilities and service centres across all key industrial nations.
As Niermann stated, “We are continuously developing our drive components to provide our customers with solutions that help them progress technically, economically and environmentally.” This reflects NORD’s broader ambition to move the industry from transactional component supply toward long-term solution partnerships.
Industry Outlook
The industrial drive technology market is being shaped by two powerful forces: rising energy costs and the demand for smarter, more connected machinery.
Manufacturers across sectors are seeking solutions that reduce total cost of ownership while improving uptime and sustainability performance. Modular industrial drive technology that integrates energy efficiency, IIoT connectivity, and application-specific engineering is well positioned to meet this demand.
NORD’s approach of combining flexible product architecture with deep sector knowledge places it firmly at the centre of this shift.
Future Direction and Impact on Industrial Operators
NORD DRIVESYSTEMS is steadily expanding what a drive solution can do for industrial operators. The shift from systems to solutions has direct implications for businesses evaluating their drive technology investments:
- IE5+ motor efficiency NORD solutions reduce energy consumption beyond the current IE5 regulatory benchmark
- DuoDrive’s 92% system efficiency reduces both operating costs and maintenance requirements
- Condition monitoring integration enables predictive maintenance and cuts unplanned downtime
- The NORD ECO analysis service supports optimal energy planning before implementation
- A global network of 48 subsidiaries across 36 countries ensures local support at scale
- A modular architecture reduces the number of system variants, simplifying logistics and inventory management
NORD drive systems solutions are designed to evolve alongside the needs of each customer. By combining product breadth with technical depth, NORD is positioning itself as a long-term engineering partner rather than a component supplier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What industries does NORD DRIVESYSTEMS serve?
Ans. NORD serves more than 100 industries, including intralogistics, food and beverage, water and wastewater, airport baggage handling, and general industrial manufacturing.
Q2. What is the IE5+ motor and why does it matter?
Ans. The IE5+ is NORD’s synchronous motor that surpasses the highest currently defined energy efficiency class, IE5. It reduces energy losses, lowers operating costs, and supports a reduction in system variants.
Q3. What is DuoDrive?
Ans. DuoDrive is NORD’s patented integrated gear unit and motor concept. It combines the IE5+ synchronous motor with a single-stage helical gear unit in one housing, achieving up to 92% system efficiency in its power class.
Q4. How does NORD support predictive maintenance?
Ans. NORD integrates condition monitoring into its drive solutions via an IIoT setup. Drive and status data is captured through the frequency inverter’s integrated PLC and can be shared with the customer’s central systems to support proactive maintenance.
Q5. What is the NORD ECO service?
Ans. The NORD ECO efficiency analysis is a service that helps customers plan and implement drive tasks with optimal energy consumption, supporting both cost savings and environmental performance.
Disclaimer
This article is intended for informational purposes only. Content is based on publicly available information from NORD DRIVESYSTEMS and supplementary published sources. The views and product details referenced are drawn from official Company communications. Readers should verify product specifications directly with NORD DRIVESYSTEMS before making any procurement or investment decision.
Sources
- https://www.nord.com/en/nord-group/current-events/news-archive/articles/product-news-drive-technology.jsp https://www.nord.com/en/products/geared-motors/duodrive/duodrive.jsp
- https://www.electronicspecifier.com/industries/nord-duodrive-now-with-powers-of-up-to-3-kw
- https://www.automationworld.com/home/company/13308562/nord-drivesystems
- https://www.australianmining.com.au/nord-drivesystems-from-systems-to-solutions/
Last modified: May 4, 2026
