Electric Corporation News

Japanese marine electrical machinery supplier BEMAC Corporation has completed its acquisition of The Switch Engineering Oy, Finland-based special electric machine and high-power converter product supplier, following a tripartite share purchase agreement signed last October.BEMAC Corporation, in partnership with global trading and investment company Mitsui & Co., Ltd., has acquired 100% of the shares in The Switch.The Switch produces permanent magnet machines (PMM), marine drives (DC-Hubs and single drives) and high-speed solid rotor induction motors (SRM).

BEMAC, as majority shareholder, together with Mitsui have entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of The Switch from Yaskawa Europe Holding AB (a wholly owned subsidiary of YASKAWA Electric Corporation).The Switch Engineering Oy and its group companies are manufacturers of permanent magnet machines (PMM), DC distribution solutions (DC-Hub), high-power AC drives (single drives) and high-speed induction motors.The Switch possesses technology in MW-class PMMs…

Yokogawa Electric Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd (MHI) have been selected by the Nippon Foundation, a private, non-profit grant-making organization, to develop an automatic robotic inspection system to predict hazards on offshore oil and gas facilities, and improve the safety of inspection work on offshore platforms."The use of a wide variety of robots to enable unmanned operations and thereby reduce the risk of performing inspections on offshore platforms has long been considered…

Construction of Taiwan's Formosa 2, an offshore wind power (OWP) development project, officially broke ground in Miaoli County.Orsted Taiwan said in a statement that it held a ground-breaking ceremony for the onshore substation works for the 900MW Greater Changhua 1&2a offshore wind farm off Taiwan.Ørsted awarded an onshore substation EPC contract to TCC last November. TCC will build two onshore substations, cable corridors, and transition joint bays for the first 900MW Greater Changhua projects. The contract, with an amount over NTD 7bn, is being now executed by Star Energy Corporation (SEC), a 100% subsidiary of TCC.SEC has hired more than 60 additional employees since last year.

China’s Dongfang Electric Corp. (DEC) has unveiled  what it claims will be the country’s first 10MW offshore wind turbine after successfully developing a direct-drive permanent-magnet generator (PMG) for the super-sized machine.The company reported that it underwent testing and is now ready for commercial operations.The new generator is by far the largest of its kind in the country in terms of rotor diameter and unit capacity, according to its developer, Dongfang Electric Corporation.Based on the working conditions in Chinese waters, permanent magnet direct drive and full power conversion technologies were used to achieve active typhoon-resistant performance.The successful delivery of the generator indicates the R&D and manufacturing capabilities of high-power offshore wind turbines…

The Switch has recruited Ville Parpala as Director, Product Marketing, Marine Solutions, as it targets its ambition of achieving growth of 200 percent in the marine segment across the next five years. The firm, a specialist in the development and supply of advanced drive train solutions, said it will leverage Parpala’s vast experience and contact book, to push its ability to deliver enhanced efficiency, cost savings and environmental performance to the shipping industry worldwide.

Eli Glickman, 56, took office as the new President and Chief Executive Officer of ZIM effective July 1, 2017. Glickman is taking over from Rafi Danieli, who has been President & CEO of ZIM since 2009. "I’m pleased and honored to take office as ZIM’s CEO. ZIM is a dynamic company with a proud heritage. I‘m confident in our ability to deliver exceptional service to our customers, while striving for profitability and growth,” Glickman said. He added: “I want to thank Rafi Danieli, who has steered ZIM through rough seas.

Finnish collaborators have unveiled a new propulsion unit. Azimuth propulsion specialist Steerprop has rolled out its new CRP ECO LM propulsor featuring permanent magnet (PM) technology from The Switch. Steerprop has been developing propulsion units since 2001, while The Switch, a developer of advanced drive train solutions, has been using its technology to enhance performance in marine applications. The PM machine, currently in serial production, has a track record in the world’s largest wind turbines in rough offshore conditions.

The Switch is targeting growth of 200 percent within the marine segment in the next five years, building on the momentum of a flurry of recent orders, its acquisition of Wartsila Drives and the financial muscle of its parent company, the EUR 3.3 billion turnover Yaskawa Electric Corporation. The Finnish headquartered business, a specialist in the development and supply of advanced drive train solutions, believes its permanent magnet (PM) and frequency converter technology can have the same transformational effect on marine as it has had in wind.

The Switch, a supplier of megawatt-class electrical drives for wind energy, marine and industrial applications, has opened its new global headquarters in Helsinki. According to Jukka-Pekka Mäkinen, President and CEO of The Switch, the primary motivation behind the location change is to be located in the center of Helsinki, making meetings with partners, clients and suppliers more convenient. Mäkinen called the new office an investment in the company's future, adding that The Switch has plans for further expansion.

Fortis Inc. will host its inaugural U.S. Investor Day on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 in New York. The event will take place at The New York Palace hotel, 455 Madison Avenue at 50th Street (Spellman Room). Registration (and a continental breakfast) will begin at 7:30 a.m. (Eastern) on April 1, 2015 with management presentations scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (Eastern). Institutional investors, analysts and members of the financial community interested in attending can register in advance by contacting Annette Carberry at Fortis via email at [email protected] or via telephone at 709.737.2822. A live and archived audio webcast of the event will be available on the Corporation’s website at www.fortisinc.com.

A consortium led by Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has received an order from Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated (TEPCO) for design work for a large-scale integrated coal gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) system to be adopted for a project to create the world's most advanced coal-fired thermal power plants. The project plans call for the construction of two 500-megawatt (MW) class IGCC plants in Fukushima Prefecture to help promote local industrial recovery. Following receipt of the order, the consortium, which also includes Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Mechatronics Systems, Ltd. (MHI-MS), has already begun the newly contracted design work.

Fortis Inc. achieved second quarter net earnings attributable to common equity shareholders of $47 million, or $0.22 per common share, compared to $54 million, or $0.28 per common share, for the second quarter of 2013. For the first half of 2014, net earnings attributable to common equity shareholders were $190 million, or $0.89 per common share, compared to $205 million, or $1.06 per common share, for the first half of 2013. Earnings for the second quarter were impacted by a number of significant items. Interest expense of $13 million after tax, or $0.06 per common share, associated with convertible debentures issued to finance a portion of the pending acquisition of UNS Energy Corporation ("UNS Energy") was recognized in the second quarter of 2014.

Yaskawa Electric Corporation, a company in motion control and robotics, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire The Switch, a supplier of megawatt-class permanent magnet generator and full-power converter packages for wind power and other renewable energy applications. The estimated schedule for closing the deal is within a few weeks. The Switch brand will continue as its own entity for selected markets and applications. The Japan-based Yaskawa System Engineering Division has been focusing on growing its market share in renewable…

Intermarine, LLC appoint Scott Stadelman as Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, effective June 3, 2013. Scott's success growing sales organizations provides additional expertise to our already talented group of professionals at Intermarine. His leadership, broad experience and appreciation of sales and sales infrastructures, will support continued focus on our customers and better servicing their cargo transportation needs," said Al Stanley, CEO. Mr. Stadelman comes to Intermarine with more than 30 years of experience in sales and operations.

Ryamond L. Smith has joined Matson Navigation Company, Inc. as chief operating officer (COO) in San Francisco. As COO, Smith is responsible for all marketing and operations activities, as well as safety, quality and environmental affairs. He reports to Matson President and CEO C. Bradley Mulholland. Smith brings to Matson leadership skills and transportation and logistics expertise, having served as CEO of Fritz companies, United States Fleet leasing Ampent. His most recent position was CEO of Ampent in San Francisco, a start-up company focused on financial supply chain management. Smith has a B.A. in Psychology/Mathematics from the University of Nebraska and an M.B.A from Emory University.

Horizon Offshore, Inc. reported that a fire broke out on one of its barges, the LB Gulf Horizon, while being towed approximately 400 miles off the coast of Georgia. The Horizon spokesman said, "All of the personnel on board have been evacuated to the supporting tow tug and are accounted for. We have no reports of injury to personnel during either the initial fire-fighting effort or the evacuation. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are not yet known. The fire continues to burn, so we cannot yet make a damage assessment. The barge was en route to Israel to perform a job for the Israel Electric Corporation Ltd. Anticipating that the Gulf Horizon will not be able to perform this job…

Northrop Grumman Corporation announced the appointment of William Mitchell as vice president, assistant general counsel and sector counsel for Newport News operations, effective immediately. He reports to W. Burks Terry, corporate vice president and general counsel. Mitchell, most recently served as associate sector counsel for the company's electronic systems sector. Prior to this position, he served as the division counsel for the former Electronic Sensors and Systems division of Northrop Grumman. Before joining Northrop Grumman in 1996, Mitchell was the associate general counsel for Westinghouse's Electronic Systems Group. Previously, Mitchell held a number of positions in the law department of Westinghouse Electric Corporation.

Captain Marine Services, Inc. of Dana Beach, Fla. has been servicing the yachting and sport diving industries for the last nine years for all of their need above and below the waterline as well as, providing immediate procurement consolidation and delivery of marine parts, supplies, and diving equipment. President Capt. Thomas J. Dunzelman recently announced the opening of a new shipping, receiving and agents office in Turtle Cove Marina, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI. With many years of experience in the Turks & Caicos Islands, they can advise your clients as well as your crew on what to do and see while visiting Providenciales. Captain Marine Services provides an office where a captain can talk to another captain/engineer about their equipment needs.

Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, SAMPA Kogyo K.K. and Mitsubishi Corporation have formed a joint venture company that will serve the emerging combat system engineering and lifetime support requirements of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces (JMSDF). The joint venture company, MLS Corporation, represents a full service partnership arrangement between industry and government, and leverages Japanese and U.S. industry expertise in life cycle support and integration services to benefit the JMSDF. MLS Corporation products will include engineering support and testing of complex electronics equipment, logistics services, training, commercial-off- the-shelf (COTS) configuration management and application program maintenance and upgrades.