Hubbell – Hubbell Incorporated Completes Acquisition of Systems Control

EMR Analysis

More information on HUBBELL: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Gerben W. Bakker (Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, HUBBELL): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on William R. Sperry (Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, HUBBELL): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Greg Gumbs (President, Utility Solutions Segment, Hubbell): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Northern Star Holdings, Inc. (commercially known as Systems Control) by Hubbell: https://www.systemscontrol.com/ + Systems Control is a steadfast partner to utilities, ensuring the quality and reliability of the grid since 1962.

Systems Control is a leading manufacturer of substation control and relay panels, as well as turnkey substation control building solutions. These highly engineered offerings are mission-critical to grid reliability, enabling utility customers to protect and control substation infrastructure while detecting faults and controlling the flow of electricity.

Systems Control designs and manufactures customized, turnkey systems that protect, transmit and distribute energy from source to grid to consumer.

Our approach is simple: design, optimize, manufacture, and integrate the highest-quality, most cost-effective solution possible. From initial concept to final delivery, we perform every step of our process in house, and under one roof. And from introduction to installation, we work hand-in-hand with our customers, assigning dedicated teams to better understand their needs and ensure quality results that exceed expectations.

We’re proud of the role we play in bringing energy to those who need it. We bring positive energy and passion to every challenge. But we don’t just do it with connectors and wires. Our most compelling connections are the relationships we build with our employees, suppliers, customers, and community.

One roof. One goal. Extraordinary customer service that’s powered by people.

• 58 Years
• 400K Sq. feet
• 700+ Employees
• 3 Shifts

More information on Brad Lebouef (Chief Executive Officer, Systems Control): https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-lebouef-937bbb24/ 

More information on Comvest Partners: https://comvest.com/ + Comvest Partners is a leading private equity and credit investment firm that has supported the capital needs of North American middle-market companies for more than two decades.

• 20+ Years – Founded in 2000
• $9.5B+ Assets Under Management
• $11.7B+ Capital Invested
• 295+ Total Investments

Comvest Partners is a private investment firm providing equity and debt capital to middle-market companies across North America. Since our founding in 2000, Comvest has invested over $11.7 billion. Today, Comvest has over $9.5 billion of assets under management. Through our private equity, direct lending and special opportunities investment strategies, we offer tailored investment solutions across the capital structure, extensive capital resources, and deep industry and operating expertise that help well-positioned companies successfully achieve their goals for growth.

More information on Michael Falk (Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Comvest Partners): https://comvest.com/team-members/michael-falk/ 

EMR Additional Notes:

• Substation:
  • A power station is where the power is generated. A sub station is where power is split apart, distributed and spread further into the grid.A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system.
  • Substations contain the specialist equipment that allows the voltage of electricity to be transformed (or ‘switched’). The voltage is stepped up or down through pieces of equipment called transformers, which sit within a substation’s site.
• Transformers (Distribution Transformers and Power Transformers):
  • A distribution transformer is the type of transformer that performs the last voltage transformation in a distribution grid. It converts the voltage used in the transmission lines to one suitable for household and commercial use, typically down to 240 volts.
  • The transformer is classified into three types based on the voltage level produced: Step down, Step up, and an isolation transformer.
  • Transformers changes from high voltage to low voltage, used in homes and businesses. The main function of this is to reduce the voltage to provide isolation between the two windings as primary and secondary. This transformer distributes electricity to remote areas generated from power plants.
  • While transformer stations are linked to high/medium-voltage transmission systems, electrical substations are designed to support and transform lower voltages.
  • Distribution transformers always operate at a load less the rated full load. Power transformers always operate at full load. Distribution transformers are designed to give maximum efficiency at 60 to 70% of the rated load. Power transformers have maximum efficiency at full load.
  • Power Transformers are used in transmission network of higher voltages for step-up and step down application (400 kV, 200 kV, 110 kV, 66 kV, 33kV) and are generally rated above 200MVA.
  • Distribution Transformers are used for lower voltage distribution networks as a means to end user connectivity. (11kV, 6.6 kV, 3.3 kV, 440V, 230V) and are generally rated less than 200 MVA.

• Shunt Reactor:
  • Shunt reactors (SRs) are used in high voltage energy transmission systems to control the voltage during load variations. Depending on the voltage requirement needs, shunt reactors are switched on or off to provide reactive power compensation.
  • A shunt reactor is an absorber of reactive power, thus, increasing the energy efficiency of the system. It is the most compact device commonly used for reactive power compensation in long high-voltage transmission lines and in cable systems. The shunt reactor can be directly connected to the power line or to a tertiary winding of a three-winding transformer. The shunt reactor could be permanently connected or switched via a circuit breaker.
  • Shunt reactor is same as power transformer but it has only one winding per phase as compared to power transformer. Shunt reactors are used to increase the power and energy system efficiency as it absorb & compensate the reactive power in cables and long high voltage transmission lines.

• Substation Control System:
  • The substation control system is a complete system by which all the events, measurements operation and control of the substation is achieved from the local PC as well as the Remote control centre.

• Relay Panel:
  • Panel that holds one or more relays that sends power or signal to equipment based upon the input received. You can think of a relay panel kind of like a dispatch service.
• Relay:
  • Relays are electrically operated switches that open and close the circuits by receiving electrical signals from outside sources.
  • Relays are the switches which aim at closing and opening the circuits electronically as well as electromechanically. It controls the opening and closing of the circuit contacts of an electronic circuit.
• Reed Relay:
  • A reed relay is a type of relay that uses an electromagnet to control one or more reed switches. The contacts are of magnetic material and the electromagnet acts directly on them without requiring an armature to move them. Sealed in a long, narrow glass tube, the contacts are protected from corrosion.
• Monitoring Relay:
  • A Monitoring Relay is a protective control device. The basic functions are to receive input signals, monitor and determine them, and output an alarm signal if a set value (threshold) is reached.
  • To determine if a phase imbalance is present, the relay monitors each of the phases to detect when the voltage in any one phase falls by a predetermined amount below the average of all three phases. Similarly, if complete loss of a phase is detected, the relay will trip and disconnect power from the motor.
  • Three-Phase Monitor Relays continuously monitor and detect voltage faults to protect equipment in three-phase systems. These relays retain indication and continue monitoring even with a lost phase.
• Control Relay:
  • A control relay is an electrical component that opens or closes a switch in order to allow current to flow through a conducting coil, with the coil not coming into direct contact with the switch. Control relays are electromagnetic devices that typically control the power flow in circuits.
• Sequence Control Relay:
  • A relay which protects the electrical system from negative sequence component is called a negative sequence relay or unbalance phase relay. The negative sequence relay protects the generator and motor from the unbalanced load which mainly occurs because of the phase-to-phase faults.
  • The phase sequence relay/guard measure three phase AC supplies for correct rotation and will activate and relay output for any fault. A wrong phase sequence will cause fault in rotation or motors and pumps and can cause problems and damages. The units also monitor for phase failure and phase imbalance in the supply.
• PCB Terminal Block Relay: 
  • A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate.
  • The Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is very important in all electronic gadgets, which are used either for domestic use or for industrial purposes. PCB design services are used to design the electronic circuits. Apart from electrically connecting, it also gives mechanical support to the electrical components.
  • Relays are electric switches that use electromagnetism to convert small electrical stimuli into larger currents. These conversions occur when electrical inputs activate electromagnets to either form or break existing circuits.
  • A simple electromagnetic relay is made up of a solenoid, which is wire coiled around a soft iron core, an iron yoke that provides a low reluctance path for magnetic flux, a movable iron frame, and one or more sets of contacts. The three main types of relays are electromechanical, solid-state, and reed.
  • The electromagnetic PCB relay works by applying an electromagnetic field when power gets applied to the coil, subsequently causing the movement of the armature and making the contacts either close or open. PCB relays get classified by construction, mounting type, or function.
  • PCB terminal block connectors are designed using one-piece board mount terminal blocks and two-piece plug connectors with mating right angle and straight shrouded headers. Assembly is made simpler due to our built-in interlocks on the modular housing types.
  • PCB terminal blocks enable the easy and safe transmission of signals, data, and power to the PCB. They are suitable for a variety of applications in numerous industries, markets, and for Industry 4.0 applications.
• Programmable Logic Relay:
  • Programmable Logic Relays are mainly used in light industry where only a few points of I/O are needed, and cost efficiency is key. Programmable relays can be modified faster and easier than their PLC counterparts because they typically function as relays and timers only.
• Power Relay:
  • Power relays open or close a circuit by using an electromagnetic coil for seamless power flow. These cost-efficient relays are manufactured with an armature, spring, and one or several contacts. If the relay is meant to be normally open (NO), when power is applied the electromagnet attracts the armature. These switches are useful in audio amplification and telephone systems. You can also use them in automotive electronics and computer systems. The objective is to relay any signal from one circuit to another.

• Grid, Microgrids and DERs:
  • The power grid is a network for delivering electricity to consumers. The power grid includes generator stations, transmission lines and towers, and individual consumer distribution lines.
  • The grid constantly balances the supply and demand for the energy that powers everything from industry to household appliances.
  • Electric grids perform three major functions: power generation, transmission, and distribution.
  • A microgrid is a small-scale power grid that can operate independently or collaboratively with other small power grids. The practice of using microgrids is known as distributed, dispersed, decentralized, district or embedded energy production.
  • Smart Grid is any electrical grid + IT at all levels . Micro Grid is a group of interconnected loads and DERs (Distributed energy resources) within a clearly defined electrical and geographical boundaries witch acts as a single controllable entity with respect to the main grid.
  • Distributed energy resources (DERs) are small-scale electricity supply (typically in the range of 3 kW to 50 MW) or demand resources that are interconnected to the electric grid. They are power generation resources and are usually located close to load centers, and can be used individually or in aggregate to provide value to the grid.
  • Common examples of DERs include rooftop solar PV units, natural gas turbines, microturbines, wind turbines, biomass generators, fuel cells, tri-generation units, battery storage, electric vehicles (EV) and EV chargers, and demand response applications.
  • Distributed energy resources management systems (DERMS) are platforms which helps mostly distribution system operators (DSO) manage their grids that are mainly based on distributed energy resources (DER).
  • DERMS are used by utilities and other energy companies to aggregate a large energy load for participation in the demand response market. DERMS can be defined in many ways, depending on the use case and underlying energy asset.