Rolls-Royce Acquires VT Controls
Rolls-Royce has acquired marine electrical systems company VT Controls Ltd for £11 million, continuing its growth strategy in the marine market. VT Controls Ltd, acquired from the VT Group, will be incorporated into the Rolls-Royce Marine Electrical Systems business set up earlier this year. The acquisition is an important addition to the new business's capability, as it ramps up to support marine projects involving major electrical systems. Based in Portsmouth, VT Controls Ltd has provided power or automation systems on all front line UK naval platforms in the last decade and is involved in current naval programmes both in the UK and abroad. The company has an impressive pedigree that stretches as far back as the early 1970s when it supplied controls for Brazil's Mk 10 frigates.
Technical: Homing in on Ships' Electrics
Power systems specialist Rolls-Royce now derives nearly $1.5 billion of total annual sales of $8.7 billion from the marine market, and an important element of its growth strategy in the marine domain is the development of its electrical capabilities, products and technology. The increasing use of electrical drives and other sub-systems, and a move towards highly automated, integrated shipboard networks, is evident in both the commercial and naval sectors, in the technology-intensive, specialized vessel categories which form the group's heartland business areas. The success of electrical power and propulsion systems in application to high capacity cruise vessels has proved to be one of the most significant technological developments in commercial shipping over the past decade and a half…
Nor-Shipping Roundup: Stepping Out in Oslo
The Nor-Shipping Exhibition concluded June 6, 2003. Following were some of the major announcements during the week in Oslo. Kongsberg won a contract for the control systems for four LNG tankers scheduled to be built in Japan. The ships will carry LNG from the Snohvit field to the U.S., Spain and France. Two of the ships are being built for Hoegh shipping lines at Mitsubishi Shipyards, while the other two are being built at the Mitsui and Kawasaki shipyards. Kelvin Hughes was awarded type approval for its ECDIS-based Track Control System. This is the first Approval of its type to be granted by LR and covers the integration of the company's ECDIS and Autopilot products into a system meeting the new IEC 62065 track control performance standard.
Kane Appointed Pres. of Rolls-Royce Marine Electrical Systems Division
Rick Kane has been appointed as President of Rolls-Royce's new Marine Electrical Systems business. Kane was formerly President and Chief Executive of Raymarine Ltd, created when he led the management buy-out of Raytheon's recreational marine electronics business.A graduate in business studies from Suffolk University, Boston, MA, Kane initially spent nine years as a Supply Corp officer with the United States Navy before commencing his industrial career as a consultant with KPMG. Subsequently he has gained senior management experience in a number of companies including General Electric (aerospace), Ingersoll-Rand (construction and mining) and Raytheon (aerospace and marine).
