ABB, Zurich, Switzerland, a power and automation technology group, has acquired Alstom’s ring motor business in Bilbao, Spain, to enhance its gearless mill drive system business. The acquired business has about 120 employees and will become part of ABB’s process automation division.Terms were not disclosed.
Gearless mill drive systems are used in the mining industry for processing large quantities of ore to extract metals such as copper, gold, platinum, iron and molybdenum. The market for GMD systems is expected to grow due to rising demand for minerals in emerging countries undergoing industrialization. Deeper mines with more complex ore bodies and lower ore grades require the grinding of increased amounts of material to yield the same volumes of metal.
“The acquisition will combine the leading ring motor product from Alstom with ABB’s electrical offering for GMD systems, enabling ABB to enhance its position as a strong vertically-integrated systems provider,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB’s process automation division.
The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 145,000 people.
