Forward-thinking and innovation created the foundation for DBS Manufacturing. As a side project that evolved out of his passion for motorsports, Nils launched Young Engineering to design and build Formula Ford racing cars. His first design, a prototype car, incorporated a number of innovative features such as adjustable suspension and advanced aerodynamics. Construction of the car was well underway when the 1974 worldwide energy crisis led to the banning of recreational use of gasoline and effectively halted auto racing.

But Nils did not let this stop his passion. To keep Young Engineering afloat – and pay his shop rent – Nils sought other business opportunities. He took on a variety of one-off engineering projects, such as creating aluminum hydrogen vent lines for testing the Saturn V rocket engines developed by NASA.

Another project Nils took on involved the opportunity to design a gearbox for a large sewage treatment plant and with his engineering expertise, he quickly arrived at a solution with a drive-unit that was both economically and easily installed. The customer was so pleased with the performance of the first drive units that they promptly ordered a second batch. With that order in hand, Nils officially launched DBS Manufacturing to specialize in designing and manufacturing technically advanced and highly reliable drive units for the OEM market, as well as retrofit drives for municipal and industrial end users. Our retrofits page offers examples of customized solutions Nils and the team have developed for customers around the world.