ABB based in Switzerland, a supplier of electrification products, robotics, industrial automation and power grids, announced an agreement to acquire, on undisclosed terms, the mission-critical communication business of the KEYMILE Group to expand its communication networks portfolio.
The acquisition includes key products, software and service solutions, as well as research and development expertise that enhance ABB’s digital offering, ABB Ability, adding high reliability communications technologies required for dynamic and complex digital electrical grids.
ABB noted that reliable information is key to accurate decision making in an increasingly automated world with extensive interconnected networks. More specifically, the operation of mission-critical systems such as electrical grids requires specialised communication networks with high performance and reliability.
The KEYMILE communication portfolio is designed to meet the demands of network operators for reliability, availability and cyber security. The company’s mission-critical communication customer base includes operators of energy grids, railways, oil and gas pipelines, as well as public authorities. The 120 employees of the acquired business will join the Grid Automation business unit of ABB’s Power Grids division.
KEYMILE is headquartered in Hanover, Germany with a total of 350 staff worldwide. The company was founded in 2002 through a merger of three technology companies based in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. KEYMILE is a major manufacturer of mission-critical and broadband telecom solutions with installations spanning 100 countries. KEYMILE stated that following the sale of its mission-critical communications operation to ABB it will focus on delivering broadband systems, in particular optical technology.
KEYMILE products enable network operators to deliver voice and data services over FTTx network architectures via a portfolio of VDSL-/vectoring- and G.fast-solutions. The IP-MSAN MileGate platform enables simultaneous usage of Ethernet/IP and traditional TDM, as well as SDH-/PDH-technology, from a single network element. This helps enable the efficient migration of connection-oriented voice and data technology to packet-based networks.
The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of 2017.
