NSK acquires condition monitoring specialist06 January 2021

Bearing manufacturer NSK has signed an agreement to acquire Brüel & Kjær Vibro, a leading specialist in condition monitoring systems (CMS), from Spectris Plc for approximately €169 million.

As part of NSK's mid-term management plan, ‘building a CMS business’ was identified as a new mechanism for growth. Specifically, NSK plans to evolve from delivering breakdown and life expectancy diagnosis, to the provision of comprehensive technical service solutions, thus helping customers to overcome the challenges faced by equipment and machinery across a wide range of industries.

Gaining access to Brüel & Kjær Vibro’s (‘B&K Vibro’) customer base, technology, brand reputation, CMS aptitude and big data, will enable NSK to accelerate its CMS business development. In addition, the acquisition will further strengthen NSK's ability to respond to industry demands for automation, labour savings, smart technology and environmental measures. The company’s main products, including bearings, are key components that support the function and performance of equipment, and the wealth of data, technology and knowledge NSK has accumulated over the years is key to developing predictive maintenance systems.

Predictive maintenance has been gaining traction in the manufacturing sector over recent years. Through the application of CMS, predictive maintenance systems can contribute to productivity and quality improvements, and serve as a means of production innovation in line with the accelerating digital transformation of manufacturing infrastructure, NSK said.

B&K Vibro will function independently as an autonomous organisation under the direct supervision of the president and CEO of NSK Toshihiro Uchiyama, and will be able to more rapidly develop its business by utilising NSK's resources.

“With B&K Vibro becoming part of our company, we will be able to enhance our CMS business platform and aim for further growth in the rapidly growing CMS market,” Uchiyama said.

B&K Vibro was formed in 2000 by the merger of German company Schenck, founded in 1881, and Danish company Brüel & Kjær, established in 1942.

Operations Engineer

Related Companies
Bruel & Kjaer UK Ltd
NSK Bearings Europe Ltd

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