In a move to expand its reach in the Canadian oil and gas industry, Rockwell Automation Inc. (www.rockwellautomation.com), the Milwaukee-based automation supplier, announced on Feb. 10 that it has agreed to purchase the majority of the assets of Rutter Hinz Inc. (www.hinz.com), a Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, engineering company. With sales of about US$35 million Rutter Hinz is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rutter Inc., a publicly held Canadian company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Rutter Hinz has engineering expertise in industrial automation, process control and power distribution, specifically for the oil and gas industry, in addition to the pipeline, utility, mining, forestry, and food and beverage sectors. The company’s management team and approximately 220 employees will join Rockwell Automation’s Systems & Solutions business unit.
“This acquisition accelerates the growth of Rockwell Automation’s business and reach in Canada’s heavy industries and oil and gas market, enhances our Canadian oil sands opportunities, and establishes a robust delivery capability in a major market with critical expertise,” said Terry Gebert, vice president and general manager for Rockwell Automation Systems & Solutions.
Like other deals
“This acquisition continues to strengthen our global project management and engineering solutions delivery capability—as we have done with ProsCon and ICS Triplex acquisitions in Europe, CIE in Latin America, and Xi'An Hengsheng in China,” Gebert added. “Customers will now benefit from the expanded portfolio of application solutions, expertise and delivery capacity that Rutter Hinz offers, particularly to the oil and gas market.”
In an interview with Automation World, Gebert noted that the acquisition amplifies the offering of Rockwell’s ICS Triplex by bolting on the products in places it hasn’t yet penetrated. The new acquisition with the added employees in engineering and project management will fit well into the current Rockwell service group, he said. “We have had a relationship for a considerable period of time. This acquisition expands that, giving Rockwell added expertise and relationships while providing the Rutter Hinz operation the ability to expand business due to the financial strength of Rockwell behind it.”
The acquisition includes Rutter Hinz’s engineering and automation businesses in Canada and the United States, but not its Newfoundland consulting engineering business or the assets of Rutter Technologies Inc., Rockwell said. These operations will continue as part of Rutter Inc. Rutter Hinz has eight offices in Canada and two in the United States. The acquisition is expected to close during the current quarter.
Rockwell Automation Inc.
www.rockwellautomation.com
Rutter Hinz Inc.
www.hinz.com
