In a move that would give it the broadest selection of large-scale power-quality products in the industry, S&C Electric Co. announced it has purchased the large-scale power-quality business products unit from Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution, Raleigh, N.C. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The operation, located in Orlando, Fla., designs and manufactures dynamic voltage restorers and other power quality and stability devices for high-tech customers. The Power Quality business operation will be integrated into S&C's Power Electronics Division, which is responsible for the PureWave family of power-electronic switching systems. This product line includes the PureWave Source-Transfer System and PureWave UPS System.
The products, which will be sold direct to end-users, will be marketed under the PureWave DVR and PureWave DSTATCOM brand names. Mike Jones, strategic business development director for S&C Electric, said the DVR and DSTATCOM complement S&C's PureWave product line, providing power quality solutions for industrial and large commercial customers.
A Siemens spokesperson said the power-quality business accounted for less than 2.5 percent of the company's Power Transmission and Distribution business. The sale will allow Siemens Transmission and Distribution to focus on its high-voltage systems business, she said. The Power Quality business operation was part of Siemens' FACTS and Power Quality division. With this sale, that division is now called the High Voltage Systems division. It focuses on the design and manufacture of high-voltage flexible AC transmission systems for electric utilities.
Chicago-based S&C Electric will move production of the Power Quality business operation to S&C's Power Electronics Division in East Troy, Wis. The former Siemens engineers from that unit, now S&C employees, will remain in the Orlando area. While not disclosing the number of employees connected with Siemens' Power Quality business, S&C said it plans to retain all the former Siemens employees associated with the product line.
“We are very pleased to assume responsibility for the Power Quality business,” said John Estey, president of S&C Electric. “S&C has an extensive portfolio of products and services to improve the power quality supplied to critical customers and the Power Quality business is a great complement to these solutions. The product line is a great fit for S&C and has come about at a good time for us.”