MANUFACTURERS: OTHER NEWS
CENTRAL TEXAS
AUSTIN, Active Power designs and manufactures continuous power solutions and critical backup power systems that enable datacenters and other mission critical operations to remain ‘on’ 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Active Power has received a $10 million order from Net Powersafe, a power distributor in Switzerland. All UPS (uninterruptible power supply) systems and related power infrastructure equipment will be deployed to support a new datacenter campus for a large enterprise customer located in Switzerland. The order consists of 10 CleanSource 1000 kVA UPS (uninterruptible power supply) systems, totaling nine megawatts of total rated UPS capacity. Active Power will also provide six Active Power GenSTART generator starting modules; six standby diesel engines rated at 3.15 MVA each; ancillary equipment; and services. A majority of the equipment will ship during the second and third quarters of 2012 and will be installed soon after delivery. http://www.activepower.com
The Boeing Co. has announced plans to close its Wichita, Kansas, defense plant by the end of 2013 and shift that work to facilities in SAN ANTONIO and Oklahoma City. Boeing says aircraft maintenance, modification and support work now performed in Wichita will be shifted to Boeing’s San Antonio site, while engineering work will move to Oklahoma City. Work on the U.S. Air Force tanker contract Boeing won in early 2011 will be done in Puget Sound, Washington. The company’s Wichita facility has about 2,100 employees. The move will mean a major boost for Boeing’s operations in San Antonio that already employ 2,800 at Port San Antonio. The San Antonio center took on two major commercial projects last year, the 787 Dreamliner passenger jet and the 747-8 freighter. As a result of the commercial contracts, Boeing’s San Antonio employment increased by 55 percent in 2011 — from 1,800 in 2010 to 2,800 in 2011. http://www.boeing.com
NORTH TEXAS
RICHARDSON-based Eltek Valere will shorten its name to Eltek. Eltek, headquartered in Norway, a supplier of high efficiency power systems for telecommunications, industrial applications, electric vehicles and solar energy projects. It acquired Valere Power of Richardson in June 2007. Eltek has expanded from its base in telecom power systems into solar inverters, industrial DC power supplies, electric vehicle charging products and other applications. http://www.eltek.com
Exxon MobilCorp., IRVING, has announced plans to consolidate two of its subsidiaries into a new company known as Exxon Mobil Fuels, Lubricants & Specialties Marketing Co. With board approval, the new name – combining Exxon Mobil Fuels Marketing Co. and Exxon Mobil Lubricants & Petroleum Specialties Co. – became active February 1, 2012. http://www.exxonmobil.com
Fossil Inc., RICHARDSON, is purchasing accessories maker Skagen Designs Ltd. located in Reno, Nevada. Skagen Designs makes and markets watches, jewelry, sunglasses and clocks. Fossil said it expects the deal to be finalized in February 2012. Fossil, which recently moved into a renovated 535,000-square-foot facility, has licensing agreements with designer brands such as Michael Kors, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Burberry, Emporio Armani, and Karl Lagerfeld. http://www.fossil.com
The U.S. Defense Department awarded Lockheed Martin, FORT WORTH, a $4 billion contract modification that provides funding for Lockheed Martin and its subcontractors to continue work on the next lot of 30 F-35 joint strike fighter jets. Lockheed and its many subcontractors began work more than a year ago on parts and components for the aircraft under a $522 million contract. The contract reflects a cut from 42 planes in the lot as the government has been forced to decrease quantities to cover cost increases. http://www.lockheedmartin.com
The United States Air Force has awarded Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems in MCKINNEY a $44.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for contractor logistics support for the Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems for 2012. The contract will be executed in McKinney and is expected to be completed by the end of 2012. The ASC/WIIK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio is the contracting activity. Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems in McKinney is also being awarded a $25.8 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, an effort to continue to improve the Multi-Spectral Targeting System-B and build the advancements made with the original delivery order. A primary focus of this effort is to improve the system imaging from standard definition to high definition. The location of the contract will be at Raytheon’s McKinney location. The work is expected to be completed by January 31, 2013. The ASC/WIIK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio is the contracting activity. http://www.raytheon.com/businesses/rsas
SOUTHEAST TEXAS
Dresser-Rand Group Inc., a HOUSTON-based manufacturer of rotating equipment used in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries, has purchased Salem, Virginia-based Synchrony Inc., a technology development company. The transaction is expected to be completed in January 2012. Dresser-Rand sought out Synchrony for its magnetic bearings because Dresser-Rand wanted to offer rotating equipment that doesn't need oil for lubrication. The company will keep its name and will remain at its Salem, Virginia, facility. http://www.dresser-rand.com
Fluoro-Seal Holdings LLC, a plastic barrier manufacturer based in HOUSTON, is being acquired by Arsenal Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm. Fluoro-Seal provides a specialized barrier treatment for plastic bottles, containers and fuel tanks for a variety of markets. The company also performs surface modifications and develops and supplies products that are used as performance additives. Fluoro-Seal has approximately 200 U.S. employees and operates 15 U.S. plants. http://www.fluoroseal.com
Danbury, Connecticut-based Praxair Distribution, Inc.(PDI), a subsidiary of Praxair, Inc., has executed a definitive agreement to acquire HOUSTON-based Texas Welders Supply Company (TWSCO). TWSCO, a distributor of Praxair, is a gas and welding products distributor and has 130 employees. TWSCO operates from four locations, including a cylinder filling plant and specialty gas laboratory located in Houston. PDI also acquired another independent distributor, National Alloy, in August 2011. Praxair, Inc. produces, sells and distributes atmospheric and process gases, and high-performance surface coatings. http://www.praxair.com ; http://www.twsco.com
A HOUSTON-based expansion joint manufacturer, U.S. Bellows, Inc. has acquired the former Lortz Manufacturing company. This acquisition includes the fabrication equipment, expansion joint and bellows drawings, design software, customer lists, and all engineering history and other historical data associated with Lortz Manufacturing. The expansion joint equipment was transferred from Bakersfield, California, to the U.S. Bellows facility in Houston. The additional machines will be incorporated into the current U.S. Bellows location, and significantly expand U.S. Bellows' ability to provide high quality expansion joints more quickly and efficiently to customers around the world. U.S. Bellows will be hiring and relocating some of the former Lortz welders and other employees to their manufacturing headquarters in Houston. U.S. Bellows supplies an assortment of metallic and fabric expansion joints for a wide variety of applications. http://www.usbellows.com
WEST TEXAS
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, AMARILLO, received a $72,928,060 advance acquisition contract for long lead components required for the manufacture and delivery of 17 (fiscal 2013) Lot 17 MV-22 tiltrotor aircraft for the Marine Corps and four (fiscal 2013) Lot 17 CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft for the Air Force. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (50 percent), Fort Worth (25 percent), and Amarillo (25 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2012. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, handled a contract.
Helen of Troy, an EL PASO-based company that develops and sells personal-care and household products, has agreed to buy the Pur water purification products business from Procter & Gamble. The deal, subject to approval by government regulators, was expected to be finalized by the end of 2011. Pur will be integrated into the company's Healthcare-Home Environment segment. That division was created after Helen of Troy acquired Kaz Inc., in December 2010. Kaz makes body thermometers, humidifiers, fans and other products mainly under the Vicks, Braun and Honeywell brands. http://www.hotus.com
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