German industrial group ThyssenKrupp plans to take over the country's biggest shipbuilder, HDW, and merge it with its own shipbuilding operation. HDW, short for Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, is a leading manufacturer of non-nuclear military submarines. It also builds ferries, large yachts and specialist vessels. HDW is owned by One Equity Partners, an investment firm backed by Chicago-based Bank One Corporation. The new shipyard group, which will be managed by ThyssenKrupp Werften GmbH, will have about 9,300 staff and a sales volume of some €2.2 billion ($2.6 billion).