ABB – ABB sells Power Conversion division to AcBel Polytech Inc. for $505 million

January 20, 2023

Final divestment of ABB’s previously announced division portfolio measures

 

ABB has reached an agreement to sell its Power Conversion division to AcBel Polytech Inc. for $505 million in cash. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023. Upon closing, ABB expects to record a small non-operational book gain in Income from operations on the sale. The Power Conversion division, formerly Lineage Power, was acquired by ABB as part of the GE Industrial Solutions acquisition in 2018 and is not core to ABB.

The division is based in Plano, Texas, USA, and employs roughly 1,500 employees worldwide, predominantly at three major sites and the US headquarters. It generated revenues of approximately $440 million and Income from operations of approximately $50 million in 2022, with a clear focus on the North American market.

It is a global provider of end-to-end power conversion solutions for mission-critical applications in the telecommunications, data center and industrial sectors. The business is well positioned and currently capitalizing on key technology mega trends such as the rollout of 5G networks, the increased use of cloud computing and manufacturing automation.

“We are very happy to have found an excellent new home for this specialized business that can go from strength to strength under the leadership of AcBel in the future,” said Björn Rosengren, ABB CEO. “We are also delighted to complete all divisional portfolio divestments announced at the end of 2020, including the sale of Dodge and the spin-off of Accelleron.”

 

Jerry Hsu, Chairman of AcBel commented: “We sincerely welcome Power Conversion to join the AcBel family. We believe this transaction is beneficial to both parties as we are highly complementary to each other in product portfolio, customer base and expertise. By combining AcBel’s core capabilities in smart manufacturing and original design manufacturing with Power Conversion’s cutting-edge technologies in premium and high-quality products along with its advanced system solutions, we will be able to establish a more comprehensive product portfolio and expand our solution offerings to continue to create value for our customers and investors.”

 

AcBel is one of the global leaders in the manufacture and design of switching power supplies. Besides offering power solutions for a wide range of applications including PCs, smart home appliances, smartphones, servers, and networking equipment, AcBel also emphasizes opportunities in sustainable energy and electric vehicles. AcBel is headquartered in Taiwan with over 8,800 employees worldwide, the company aims to power the world with sustainable energy and high efficiency power supplies.

Citi is acting as exclusive financial adviser and Milbank LLP is serving as legal counsel to ABB on the transaction.

Source
ABB 

EMR Analysis

 

More information on ABB: See full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Björn Rosengren (Chief Executive Office, ABB): See full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Timo Ihamuotila (Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Executive Committee, ABB): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Accelleron Industries AG (Previously ABB Turbocharging): www.accelleron-industries.com + Accelleron is a global leader in turbocharging technologies and optimization solutions for 0.5 to 80+ MW engines, helping to provide sustainable, efficient and reliable power to the marine, energy, rail, and off-highway sectors. Through its innovative product offerings and research leadership, the company accelerates the decarbonization of the industries it operates in. Accelleron has an installed base of approximately 180,000 turbochargers and a network of more than 100 service stations across 50 countries worldwide.

More information on Oliver Riemenschneider (Senior Vice President, ABB – Chairman, Accelleron): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Daniel Bischofberger (CEO, Accelleron Industries AG): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on GE Industrial Solutions: https://global.abb/group/en/about/history/heritage-brands/ge-industrial-solutions + Atlanta, Georgia-based GE Industrial Solutions was founded to design, sell and maintain electrical solutions for businesses and utilities, from the electrical grid to user endpoints. The GE products include circuit breakers, switchgear, components for lighting control and power supply equipment for facilities including data centers. GE Industrial’s primary offerings include a wide range of industrial electrical power technologies, including:

  • Critical Power
  • Motor & Lighting Control
  • Protection & Distribution

 

More information on AcBel Polytech Inc: https://www.acbel.com/en + AcBel is one of the global leaders in the manufacture and design of switching power supplies. Besides offering power solutions for a wide range of applications including PCs, smart home appliances, smartphones, servers, and networking equipment, AcBel also emphasizes opportunities in sustainable energy and electric vehicles. AcBel is headquartered in Taiwan with over 8,800 employees worldwide, the company aims to power the world with sustainable energy and high-efficiency power supplies.

More information on Jerry Hsu (Chairman, Acbel Polytech Inc): https://www.acbel.com.tw/en/about#:~:text=Chairman%2FPresident%20Jerry%20Hsu&text=Chairman%2FPresident%20of%20AcBel%20Polytech%20Inc.

 

More information on Lineage Power: https://www.lineagepowersystems.com/ + As a leading power management solutions company, Lineage Power ensures that its products are energy efficient and have environmental sustainability. Critical power infrastructure and solar solutions, uninterruptible power supplies, telecom power solutions, and many more.

More information on Venugopal Rao (Managing Director and CEO, Lineage Power): https://lineagepowersystems.com/ourteam.html#:~:text=Venugopal%20Rao%20%7C%20Managing%20Director%20%26%20CEO,operations%20in%20India%20and%20overseas.

 

More information on Citi: https://www.citi.com/ + While we’re a global bank, our mission is simple: We responsibly provide financial services that enable growth and economic progress. Our distinct global network of people, data and relationships creates a mindset that allows Citi to spot opportunities, manage risks and connect dots for our clients in ways that others simply cannot.

More information on Jane Fraser (Chief Executive Officer, Citi Group): https://www.citigroup.com/citi/about/leaders/jane-fraser-bio.html

 

More information on Milbank LLP: https://www.milbank.com/en/ + Milbank is a premier international law firm handling high-profile, complex cases and business transactions through 12 offices worldwide. Our offices work together on an integrated basis, giving us an extraordinary global presence and allowing us to serve a client base that includes the world’s leading companies and financial institutions. Milbank is internationally recognized as a leader in major corporate/finance transactions (such as M&A, structured finance, banking, capital markets and project and transportation finance), litigation (including complex commercial, intellectual property, securities and white collar), financial restructuring, and trusts and estates.

More information on Scott A. Edelman (Chairman, Milbank LLP): https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottaedelman

 

 

EMR Additional Notes:

  • Cloud Computing:
    • Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the internet. … Cloud computing is a technology that uses the internet for storing and managing data on remote servers and then access data via the internet.
    • Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. Large clouds often have functions distributed over multiple locations, each location being a data center.
  • Edge Computing:
    • Edge computing is a form of computing that is done on site or near a particular data source, minimizing the need for data to be processed in a remote data center.
    • Edge computing can enable more effective city traffic management. Examples of this include optimising bus frequency given fluctuations in demand, managing the opening and closing of extra lanes, and, in future, managing autonomous car flows.
  • Data Centers:
    • A data center is a facility that centralizes an organization’s shared IT operations and equipment for the purposes of storing, processing, and disseminating data and applications. Because they house an organization’s most critical and proprietary assets, data centers are vital to the continuity of daily operations.
  • Hyperscale Data Centers:
    • The clue is in the name: hyperscale data centers are massive facilities built by companies with vast data processing and storage needs. These firms may derive their income directly from the applications or websites the equipment supports, or sell technology management services to third parties.

 

  • 4G & 5G: 5G is the 5th generation mobile network. It is a new global wireless standard after 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks.
    • 5G enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.
      • First generation – 1G
        1980s: 1G delivered analog voice.
      • Second generation – 2G
        Early 1990s: 2G introduced digital voice (e.g. CDMA- Code Division Multiple Access).
      • Third generation – 3G
        Early 2000s: 3G brought mobile data (e.g. CDMA2000).
      • Fourth generation – 4G LTE
        2010s: 4G LTE ushered in the era of mobile broadband.
    • 5G has started hitting the market end of 2018 and will continue to expand worldwide.
    • Beyond speed improvement, the technology is expected to unleash a massive 5G IoT (Internet of Things) ecosystem where networks can serve comm
    • 5G speed tops out at 10 gigabits per second (Gbps).
      • 5G is 10 to x100 faster than what you can get with 4G.
    • The main evolution compared with today’s 4G and 4.5G (aka LTE advanced, LTE-A, LTE+ or 4G+) is that, beyond data speed improvements, new IoT and critical communication use cases will require a new level of improved performance.
      • For example, low latency provides real-time interactivity for services using the cloud: this is key to the success of self-driving cars, for example.
      • 5G vs 4G also means at least x100 devices connected. 5G must be able to support 1 million devices for 0.386 square miles or 1 km2.
      • Also, low power consumption is what will allow connected objects to operate for months or years without the need for human assistance.
      • Unlike current IoT services that make performance trade-offs to get the best from current wireless technologies (3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc.), 5G networks will be designed to bring the level of performance needed for massive IoT.

 

  • Embedded PCs:
    • Embedded computer systems go by many names (Box PC, Gateway, Controller, Industrial PC, etc), but an Embedded PC is essentially any specialized computer system that is implemented as part of a larger device, intelligent system, or installation.
    • Embedded Devices are less complex devices than Computers. Computers may be installed in other devices but are self-sufficient to exist. Embedded Devices only exist inside other Systems. Computers are more Difficult when used, compared to an Embedded System.