ABB Inc. (www.abb.com), the Zurich, Switzerland-based power and automation technology company, continues its strategy of acquisitions in the power supply industry with the purchase of Newave Energy Holdings on December 12, 2011. Newave, based in Quartino, Switzerland, is a manufacturer of UPS systems and also provides technical service support, maintenance and service packages. ABB plans to integrate Newave into its Discrete Automation and Motion division and develop Quartino to become a main location for ABB’s UPS systems.
“The acquisition is fully in line with ABB’s strategy for power control and quality and with the goal of the division to build on its existing strength in power electronics. Newave provides us a best-in-class player in the fast-growing UPS market, while our global sales channels will significantly expand Newave’s geographic reach,” says Ulrich Spiesshofer, head of ABB’s Discrete Automation and Motion division.
ABB also finished its acquisition of Australian-based Powercorp. The new acquisition’s portfolio includes automation and control technologies to manage the integration of renewable energy into isolated grids and keep generation in balance with consumption. The company also supplies systems that dynamically store and release energy in response to frequency and voltage deviations, to stabilize small or remote grids. These solutions help to maintain power stability and quality while minimizing environmental impact.
In June 2011, ABB purchased a controlling interest in U.S.-based Validus DC Systems, provider of direct current (DC) power infrastructure equipment for energy-intensive data centers.
