ABB signs agreement to acquire Tropos Networks

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ABB signs agreement to acquire Tropos Networks

By Greentech Lead America: Swiss grid giant ABB has
agreed to acquire Tropos Networks, a developer and marketer of wireless
technologies and products for distribution area communication networks. The
acquisition will expand ABB’s communications systems offering for customers in
the power, transportation, mining and public infrastructure sectors. The
transaction is expected to close in the third quarter.

Tropos’ wireless IP broadband solutions focus on
reliability, security and scalability – key characteristics for services in
smart grid and other outdoor industrial applications. ABB anticipates that the
acquisition will reinforce its increased focus on the North American market.

ABB has earmarked $9 billion to $18 billion for
acquisitions over the next five years, and it’s already spent about $9 billion
of that. ABB plans to integrate it into its existing offering of communications
solutions for the power distribution sector. Both companies are doing
distribution automation together since 2009.

“Tropos Networks’ technologies are a great fit with
our own communications offering, greatly increasing our ability to supply robust
and reliable private networks for use in mission-critical applications,”
said Jens Birgersson, head of ABB’s network management business, a part of the
company’s power systems division.

ABB to acquire Thomas & Betts for $3.9 billion

ABB recently announced that it is set to acquire Thomas
& Betts, a manufacturer of low voltage products, for approximately $3.9 billion.
The acquisition price represents a 24 percent premium to Thomas & Betts’
closing stock price on January 27, 2012 and a 35 percent premium to the volume
weighted average stock price over the past 60 trading days.

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