When tradition meets transformation
For decades, Vario Drive has been a trusted name in motion control systems. With a strong foundation in motion control applications, the company has built its reputation by supplying reliable electrical drive solutions to construction, transport, and industrial machinery. But as the industry shifted towards electrification, Vario Drive faced a defining moment: adapt or risk being left behind.
André de Lijser, Manager Director of Vario Drive explains: “We could see that both regulations and our customers were pushing hard for sustainable solutions. Diesel and hydraulics alone would not define the future. Electrification was the way forward.
Standing out in a competitive market
The transition to electrification was not without its challenges. Vario Drive had to expand from its traditional areas of expertise into new fields such as electronics and software. What made the company stand out, however, was its ability to offer flexible, integrated systems. “The strength of Vario Drive is flexibility. Our solutions can be tailored to customer needs – they’re not one-size-fits-all. That’s what makes us different from other systems on the market,” -elaborates André de Lijser.
This ability to adapt quickly to changing demands allowed Vario Drive to position itself as a forward-looking partner for customers navigating the complexities of electrification.
“The strength of Vario Drive is flexibility. Our solutions can be tailored to customer needs – they’re not one-size-fits-all.”
André de Lijser, Manager Director
Choosing the right partner
Early in the process, Vario Drive realized that success required the right expertise and support. The company knew they had to find the right partner – one with the competence, resources, and reputation to guide them through the transition. The team from Vario Drive manually made a list of possible candidates within the EU, and WS Technicals was in the end chosen as their partner for battery solutions and system integration. When asked why the choise fell on WS Technicals, André de Lijser answers that flexibility was key in choosing a long standing collobarator: “Instead of saying ‘this is the product, take it or leave it’, they listened and adapted to our needs. That made all the difference.”
From challenge to confidence
Implementing battery solutions was one of the biggest hurdles. Customers came with demanding requirements and high expectations for performance and safety. Here, WS Technicals played a decisive role.
“It was really a process of learning together. When we had challenges with specifications, WS Technicals reacted quickly and helped us adapt the solution. That support was crucial.”
-André de Lijser, Manager Director
In practice, this meant joint testing, training, and integration work carried out side by side with customers. The result was not just reliable technology, but also greater trust in the solutions delivered.
Roel van der Mark, the Application Engineer of Vario Drive remembers a project that stands out where a construction company approached Vario Drive with very specific requirements for a battery system. “I remember a specific case”, Roel Van der Marks says. “The customer requested a very rapid response from us – we had to review the specifications quickly, make adjustments, and deliver a working solution in a short time frame.”
Echoing his collegue’s words, André de Lijser adds: “We didn’t have all the answers internally, but WS Technicals guided us through the process and helped us deliver. It gave us the confidence to move forward – and it gave the customer confidence too. Together we worked on developing a tailored solution that met the customers technical and operational needs.”
“Together we worked on developing a tailored solution that met the customers technical and operational needs.”
-André de Lijser, Manager Director
A partnership that powers the future
The story of Vario Drive is more than a tale of technological change; it is about building the right partnerships to succeed in a shifting industry. By combining its own expertise in motion control with WS Technicals’ competence in battery systems, Vario Drive has been able to transform challenges into opportunities.
André de Lijser emphasizes the importance of being thorough when conducting research in the process of establishing a partnership with a new collaborator. He does not only perceive WS Technicals as a supplier but also as an important partner in a rapidly changing industry
“We see WS Technicals not just as a supplier, but as a partner in electrification. Without their support, it would have taken us much longer to bring solutions to market.”
-André de Lijser, Manager Director
For Vario Drive, electrification is no longer just a strategic priority – it is the foundation for future growth. And for WS Technicals, being part of that journey demonstrates the value of collaboration in shaping the machines of tomorrow.
