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Industry people Appointments
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Atlas Copco to expand into process vacuum solutions
Atlas Copco AB and Edwards Group Ltd have entered into an agreement whereby Atlas Copco will acquire Edwards, a leading global supplier of vacuum and abatement solutions for an amount of up to BSEK 10.6. The company is headquartered in the United Kingdom and listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange in New York.
“Edwards is a technology leader with a welldeveloped structure and solid customer relationships in industries we know well. It is a great fit for Atlas Copco,” said Ronnie Leten, president and CEO at Atlas Copco. “The vacuum solutions market is growing and has similar characteristics to our existing industrial businesses.”
Edwards is a technology and market leader in sophisticated vacuum products and abatement solutions with more than 90 years’ experience. The products and services are integral to manufacturing processes, such as for semiconductors and flat panel displays, and are used within an increasingly diverse range of industrial applications. Edwards has more than 3200 employees and is headquartered in Crawley, United Kingdom.
The acquisition of Edwards offers Atlas Copco an opportunity to expand into a growing business which serves industries that are wellknown to Atlas Copco. Visit: www.atlascopco.com
AkzoNobel to divest Building Adhesives business to Sika
AkzoNobel has received a binding offer for the purchase of its Building Adhesives business by Sika AG for €260 million. Building Adhesives generated annual revenues of €185 million in 2012.
The transaction will see all of Building Adhesives’ approximately 550 employees as well as its two manufacturing facilities in Rosendahl (Germany) and Damville (France) and its products and brands transfer to Swiss-based Sika AG. The intended sale of Building Adhesives follows a strategic review of the business’ fit within AkzoNobel’s portfolio. Building Adhesives is a standalone business within AkzoNobel’s Decorative Paints business area, primarily serving the professional market in north western Europe with a portfolio of brands and products including floor and wall levelling compounds, floor adhesives, tile setting, sealants and floor finishes. Its respected brands include Schönox, Casco, Cégécol, Synteko and EriKeeper.
“We want to focus our Decorative Paints business at AkzoNobel on the strong strategic paint positions we have in Europe and the growth markets of Asia and South America,” commented AkzoNobel CEO Ton Büchner. “The intended sale of Building Adhesives is in line with this strategy.” Visit: www.akzonobel.com
ThyssenKrupp Aerospace, via its UK subsidiary, has acquired the business activities of The Waterjet Group, based in Darton, South Yorkshire, UK. The Waterjet Group was established in 2002 and is a leading UK waterjet cutting company for the aerospace industry. The company has several waterjets and related value added equipment, a large number of aerospace approvals and to a smaller extent also serves other high-tech industries, including the medical technology sector.
ThyssenKrupp Aerospace has been working with The Waterjet Group for many years and will be integrating its employees, equipment and technical expertise into the ThyssenKrupp Aerospace global network.
“The acquisition of The Waterjet Group has strategic advantages for us,” explains Jürgen Funke, president of ThyssenKrupp Aerospace. “We have been successfully operating waterjet cutting facilities in the USA, Canada, Australia and Finland, so the UK is a logical extension of these services.” Visit: www.thyssenkrupp.com
Dassault Systèmes purchases SFE
Dassault Systèmes has announced the acquisition of SFE GmbH, a leader in body conceptual engineering and performance evaluation and optimisation. The addition of SFE’s technology to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform enhances Dassault Systèmes’ transportation & mobility industry solution experiences, such as ‘Target Zero Defect’. This acquisition expands its CATIA and SIMULIA applications, bringing to the market an innovative technology for seamless transitions, from early conceptual engineering and performance optimisation to detailed body design.
“The combined SFE and Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE platform capabilities will lead to complete coverage of the entire value chain for the transportation & mobility industry. From quick modeling to post processing analysis, to product performance simulation and shape optimisation, the full design process is integrated. I see numerous places where this capability can bring value to other industries, not just transportation & mobility,” said Bernard Charlès, president & CEO, Dassault Systèmes. Visit: www.3ds.com
