Rockwell to Acquire vMonitor

Nov. 1, 2013

The acquisition will add wireless wellhead monitoring, among other products, to Rockwell Automation’s toolbox, giving it a further step into the oil and gas industry.

Aaron Hand,

Aaron Hand

Taking further steps into one of the hottest process markets today, Rockwell Automation agreed to purchase vMonitor, which provides wireless monitoring and control systems in the oil and gas industry.

With the world’s largest installed base of wireless wellhead monitoring systems for natural and artificially lifted wells, VMonitor offers products within digital oilfield implementation and remote operations. Its monitoring and control systems for wellhead and upstream applications combine wireless instrumentation and communication with visualization software to help customers make more informed decisions and improve production.

“Strategically, vMonitor’s world-class digital oilfield technology and services, combined with our comprehensive portfolio of solutions, strengthen our ability to deliver end-to-end projects for the oil and gas sector,” said Terry Gebert, vice president and general manager for Rockwell Automation Global Solutions. “Equally important, vMonitor’s capabilities will accelerate our development of similar process solutions and remote-monitoring services for water/wastewater, mining and other industries globally.”

Existing customers for vMonitor will benefit from Rockwell Automation’s global capabilities and complementary product lines, according to Rashed Saif Al Suwaidi, chairman of vMonitor.

VMonitor has about 120 employees at offices in Houston; Mumbai, India; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; and other Middle East locations. The company’s technologies include an all-wireless portfolio of wellhead sensors and transmitters, remote terminal units, gateways and modems, plus turnkey monitoring, and control systems and services. These offerings cover a broad range of applications from oil and gas wells, pipelines, pumping and lift stations, to refineries and tank farms.

The acquisition is expected to close within two months. VMonitor will then become part of the Rockwell Automation Control Products and Solutions operating segment.

About the Author

Aaron Hand | Editor-in-Chief, ProFood World

Aaron Hand has three decades of experience in B-to-B publishing with a particular focus on technology. He has been with PMMI Media Group since 2013, much of that time as Executive Editor for Automation World, where he focused on continuous process industries. Prior to joining ProFood World full time in late 2020, Aaron worked as Editor at Large for PMMI Media Group, reporting for all publications on a wide variety of industry developments, including advancements in packaging for consumer products and pharmaceuticals, food and beverage processing, and industrial automation. He took over as Editor-in-Chief of ProFood World in 2021. Aaron holds a B.A. in Journalism from Indiana University and an M.S. in Journalism from the University of Illinois.