Rhinestahl acquires German firm to form new Warren County company

“It’s a big deal for us, and I think it’s going to be a big deal for our customers, as well,” Rhinestahl President and Chief Executive Dieter Moeller said in an interview Wednesday.

Rhinestahl said Tuesday it agreed to acquire Hydro Systems KG, with the organizations planning to become RH Aero Systems, a company that will focus on engine and airframe tooling, ground support equipment and engineered products.

RH Aero Systems’ global headquarters will be in Mason, while Rhinestahl and Hydro’s headquarters will remain in Mason and Germany, respectively.

Today, the company has about 200 Mason employees. “I suspect a few years from now, we’ll be adding 30 to 50 employees in Mason,” Moeller said.

“With more than a century of combined industry experience, RH Aero Systems, through its strong Rhinestahl and Hydro businesses, will redefine what OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), MROs (maintenance, repair and overhaul businesses), and operators can expect from a single solution provider,” Rhinestahl said in its announcement.

The combined company will have more than 15 global service centers for engine and airframe tooling and GSE (ground support equipment) repair, upgrades, calibrations and load testing.

Rhinestahl provides the equipment its customers need to build, maintain and support GE engines, military and commercial.

Moeller said the acquisition “just makes us a stronger partner for the OEMs that we work with.”

He said Rhinestall discussed the move with GE. This will enable the company to “bring a whole lot more support” to the LEAP engine, the engine GE co-produces with Safran joint venture CFM International, which is based in Butler County’s West Chester Twp.

“It’s just going to give us more critical mass and resources to be able to support major customer initiatives around the world,” the CEO said.

The LEAP engine — considered the largest commercial engine launch in the history of aviation — can be found on Boeing and Airbus narrow-body jets.

Both Rhinestahl and Hydro are privately held.

Hydro is based Biberach, Germany, with subsidiaries, service centers and other locations in China, France, Singapore, UAE, the UK and the United States.

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