The Switch, a Finland-based drive train technology specialist and a member of Japan’s Yaskawa Group, is set to purchase Wärtsilä’s marine drives business for an undisclosed sum.
The business provides specialised megawatt-class power drives for marine applications.
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Under the deal, which is scheduled to be closed by November this year, The Switch will receive part of Wärtsilä’s Electrical & Automation (E&A) business line’s test centre and its marine drives manufacturing facilities in Stord, Norway.
Once completed, The Switch will be a supply chain partner of Wärtsilä and other companies for marine drives.
The Switch president and CEO Jukka-Pekka Mäkinen said: “The Wärtsilä drive products are specially made without compromise for marine applications.
“These products are ready for integration with various other systems because of their superior communication features, including de facto industry standard interfaces and remote management possibilities.
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By GlobalData“It is also possible to separate the logistics for cabinets and power modules by shipping them later to avoid damages during the long installation times at shipyards.”
Following the completion of the deal, both Wärtsilä and The Switch plan to fully concentrate on its core competences and will provide drive train components to future proof vessels.
The Switch said that it would work closely with its parent company Yaskawa in order to provide marine drives across the globe.
With the acquisition, the company also plans to expand its marine business, through which The Switch offers products produced with its magnet technology.
