ABB won a $30-million contract from Emirates Aluminium Company (EMAL) to supply a 220 kV gas insulated substation, automation and protection systems for a new aluminium smelter near Abu Dhabi. The order was booked during the third quarter of 2007. The new smelter will be located in Al Taweelah, close to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Initial start-up capacity in 2010 will be 700 000 tons per year; when completed, the smelter will have a total annual capacity of 1,4 million tons, making it the largest single site aluminium smelter in the world. This smelter project represents Abu Dhabi’s entry into the global aluminium industry. ABB’s scope of supply during the first construction phase includes a 220 kV gas insulated substation to provide efficient, reliable power to the new smelter.
Beijer Electronics has announced the strategic acquisition of the Swedish company Westermo. Westermo develops and manufactures industrial data communications products, such as switches, routers, fibre-optic modems and modems for local networks as well as for wireless communication, and has a leading-edge competence in industrial applications. Westermo has an estimated global market share of 5%, with a strong presence in Europe where the major markets are serviced through wholly-owned subsidiaries. Westermo will form a new, third business area within Beijer Electronics Group. The Beijer Electronics Group will now consist of Westermo Data Communications, Beijer Electronics Automation and Beijer Electronics HMI Products.
Cooper Industries has announced that its subsidiary, Cooper Controls (UK), made a binding offer for all outstanding shares of MTL Instruments Group (MTL), a publicly traded company based in the United Kingdom. MTL is a world leader in the development and supply of electronic instrumentation and protection equipment, the majority of which is used in hazardous environments such as the petrochemical, chemicals, and oil and gas production industries. In 2006, MTL had revenues of £85,3 million and net income of £5,5 million. The offer has been unanimously recommended by both the Cooper and MTL Board of directors and is currently being reviewed by MTL’s shareholders.
Emerson has announced the sale of its Brooks Instrument unit to American Industrial Partners Capital Fund (AIP) for approximately $100 million in cash. AIP is a private equity investment firm that applies an operational approach to building and improving middle-market companies. Brooks, headquartered in Hatfield, PA, provides flow measurement and control devices to the low flow application market, and principally serves the chemical and semiconductor industries. Its sales in fiscal 2007 were approximately $90 million. The sale of Brooks is representative of Emerson’s ongoing strategy to manage its business mix toward high-growth, high-return businesses that are strategic to its entire portfolio. Over the past 18 months, Emerson sold several small businesses which included its Western Forge hand tool unit and its joint venture interest in Industrial Motion Control.
Honeywell has been awarded a contract to provide the integrated control system for Woodside’s new Pluto liquefied natural gas (LNG) Project in Western Australia. The project, based on Woodside’s Pluto gas field north west of Karratha, is Western Australia’s first new LNG plant in more than 20 years. It is expected to produce 4,3 million tons of LNG annually. The Pluto LNG Project includes sub-sea wells; an offshore, unmanned wellhead platform; a 180 kilometre trunk line; an onshore LNG plant; and associated infrastructure located near Karratha. The company will provide its Experion Process Knowledge System R300, as well as advanced process control and operator training systems. The project is scheduled for completion in 2009 and production is expected to commence in late 2010.
ISA announced recently that online access to ISA Transactions, a journal of advances and state-of-the-art in the science and engineering of measurement and automation, will be available at no cost to ISA members. The journal, which seeks to bridge the gap between practice and theory in measurement and automation, is published quarterly on behalf of ISA by Elsevier, a leading scientific publisher serving 30 million scientists, students, and health and information professionals worldwide. The journal includes articles centred on measurement topics such as sensors, perception systems, analysers, signal processing, filtering, data compression, data rectification, fault detection, inferential measurement, soft sensors, and hardware interfacing. Articles relating to the measurement topics also study several different techniques such as artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic, communication systems, and process analysis.
Kepware Technologies announced today that it was selected by the OPC Training Institute as its preferred demonstration product for use in OPC hands-on training workshops. The latest generation of Kepware’s OPC server technology, KEPServerEX, was designed to allow users to quickly setup communications from equipment to control and business systems via a wide range of device drivers and components. The OPC Training Institute (OPCTI) will use Kepware OPC products and technology in their training classes and webinars, especially when demonstrating OPC server functionality and device connectivity. In addition, Kepware both endorses and promotes OPCTI activities and provides demonstration products and documentation to OPCTI for use in all training activities world-wide.
Schneider Electric sales for full-year 2007 rose 26,1% to 17 309 million Euros on a current structure and exchange rate basis, double the Group’s sales in 2003. Organic growth for the full year set a new record at 13,9%. Acquisitions contributed 576 million Euros (or 15,8%). This primarily included APC, for 485 million Euros, and Pelco, a world leader in video security systems, for 89 million Euros. The divestment of MGE’s small systems as of 1 November, 2007 reduced sales by 34 million Euros. The currency effect had a negative impact of 140 million Euros (or 4,5%). On a constant structure and exchange rate basis, sales grew by a record 13,9% in the fourth quarter, on a par with previous quarters. Operations in emerging countries continued to fuel group growth, with an increase of 21%.
Wago is one of the first companies in the field of electrical connector technology and automation to receive the IRIS certification relating to the new international railway standard. The IRIS quality standard (International Railway Industry Standard) was defined by the UNIFE, the European association for the railway supply industry, and can be compared to the ISO/TS 16949 standards known from the automotive industry. However, the IRIS standard also places a strong emphasis on the monitoring and control of projects and processes. IRIS is accepted and demanded by all the large railway manufacturers. This means that, in the future, railway industry suppliers who rely on WAGO products will be spared the expense of customised audits and assessments.
© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved
printer friendly version