News » World News Cyber-attack causes ‘massive’ damage to German steel plant
Evidence is emerging of a cyber-attack targeting the control systems at a German steelworks that resulted in “massive” damage to a blast furnace. It could be the first publicly confirmed example of targeted damage to an industrial installation since the Stuxnet malware damaged almost 3,000 centrifuges in Iran in 2010.
Global sales of PLCs bounce back after a sharp decline
After slowing sharply in 2012, the global market for PLCs (programmable logic controllers) has rebounded strongly and will expand from $10.4bn in 2013 to reach $14.6bn by 2018, according to a new report from Frost & Sullivan. Most of the growth is coming from sales of small- and medium-sized PLCs.
Global IE4 motors market heads towards $300m
The global market for IE4 “super-premium efficiency” motors is expanding at double-digit rates and will more than double in size between 2013, when it was worth $115m, and 2018, when it will generate more than $297m in revenues. This prediction is made in a new report from IHS which also suggests that the number of suppliers of IE4 machines will soar from just two when the market emerged in 2009, to as many as 30 by 2018.
Permanent magnet motor market heads above $45bn
Global sales of permanent magnet (PM) motors will expand at an average annual rate of 11.7% over the coming six years to reach $45.3bn by 2020. A new report, from Allied Market Research, says that industry is witnessing a shift from induction motors to PM machines, driven by factors such as the PM motors’ high efficiencies and power densities, their simple construction, and their durability.
Efficiency helps to drive US motor sales towards $16bn
The US market for electric motors is expanding by an average of 5.4% a year and will reach $16.2bn by 2018, according to a new report from the Freedonia Group. It says that rising demand for more efficient (and more expensive) motor products will boost the market, but that pricing pressure from OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), as well as competition from lower-cost imports, will limit the increases.
Delta buys Norwegian power supply firm Eltek for $530m
The Taiwanese automation and power electronics manufacturer Delta Electronics is buying the Norwegian power supply maker Eltek in a deal that values the business at around NOK3.9bn (US $530m). The transaction, which is being conducted through Delta’s Dutch subsidiary, Deltronics, is expected to be completed by June 2015.
PLCopen sets up safe motion working group
The PLCopen automation standards organisation has set up a new working group to look at safe motion.
Rebounding motion control market heads for a new peak
After declining for two years, global revenues from motion-control products have bounced back, growing by more than 6% in 2014 to reach $12.2bn, according to a new study from IHS. However, this still leaves the market about 4% below its peak, which it reached in 2011 following two years of 20%-plus growth.
Regal Beloit buys Emerson unit for $1.4bn
After months of speculation, the US motors and motion control giant Regal Beloit has announced that it is buying Emerson Electric’s Power Transmission Solutions (PTS) business for $1.4bn in cash and $40m of assumed liabilities.
WEG makes second German acquisition in a year
The Brazilian motor-maker WEG has acquired the German firm Antriebstechnik Katt Hessen (AKH), a motor manufacturer which specialises in high-speed and custom machines. Terms of the deal have not been released.
Drives are becoming an ‘indispensable’ part of machinery
Variable-speed drives (VSDs) will be an “indispensible” part of all manufacturing equipment by the end of 2018, says a new report from the market analyst, Frost & Sullivan. It predicts that that European revenues from drives used in the discrete industries, will rise from $1.18bn in 2013 to $1.41bn by 2018.
Nidec buys Chinese motor-maker to boost its SR presence
The Japanese motor-maker Nidec is buying assets from a Chinese specialist manufacturer of motors and drives, China Tex Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, in a bid to reinforce itself as the global leader in switched reluctance (SR) motors and drives, and to create a foothold for its Nidec Industrial Solutions (NIS) business in China.
Belden buys cyber-security firm Tripwire for $710m
The networking and communications specialist Belden is buying the US-based cyber-security supplier, Tripwire, for $710m in cash. Tripwire, which provides threat, security and compliance systems, will work with Belden to deliver a new generation of cybersecurity systems that can be deployed across enterprise, industrial and broadcast markets.
Vacon CEO Laisi will lead merged business with Danfoss
The Finnish AC drives manufacturer Vacon is now part of the Danfoss Group, after Danfoss secured more than 90% of Vacon’s shares and voting rights, and obtained approvals from all the relevant authorities. Danfoss launched its bid for Vacon in September 2014.
Bearings market looks to developing world for growth
Rapid industrial development in high-growth regions of the world is driving global sales of industrial bearings and couplings, which are expected to grow from $22bn in 2013 to reach $26.7bn by 2018. A new report from Frost & Sullivan says that this push from developing economies is important because the market is technologically mature and growth in developed economies in Europe and North America is limited.
