KWD Kupplungswerk Dresden AG can look back on a lengthy engineering tradition that dates back to the period of the industrial revolution.
In the Plauensche Grund, a germ cell of industrialisation in Saxony, a strong demand for machine and machines developed in the mid 19th century.In 1887 the company Vogel und Schlegel came into being which was founded as a repair workshop for machines. It devoted itself to the manufacture of steam engines, transmission systems and couplings. Irmscher und Witte that was founded in 1868 started producing lathes from 1933 onwards. The company Meteor (founded in 1903) had its name changed to Vasanta Maschinenfabrik AG, a manufacturer of sewing machines and variable gear drives, in 1922. Confectionery machines, gears and continuously variable gear drives have been produced at the Astra company since 1908.