NSK Acquires Condition Monitoring Specialist

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’) high-profile 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, a next-generation maintenance method, 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.

B&K Vibro will function independently as an autonomous organisation under the direct supervision of the President and CEO of NSK, 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,” says Toshihiro Uchiyama, President and CEO of NSK Ltd.

Marcel Van Helten, Brüel & Kjær CEO, adds: “We are truly honoured to become part of NSK. The synergies between our companies are evident and, with the combination of skills and knowledge residing within our companies, we will deliver innovative CMS solutions to customers.”

Andrew Heath, Chief Executive at Spectris Plc., says: “B&K Vibro will be an ideal addition to the NSK product portfolio. Being part of a global organisation with complementary products and greater commercial alignment - a company that is looking to invest and develop its technology - will be a positive move for the B&K Vibro business.”

The purchase price of B&K Vibro is approximately €169 million.

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. As a pioneer in continuous monitoring solutions for deep-sea oil rigs, B&K Vibro has evolved to become a worldwide leader in facility maintenance and CMS for rotating machinery such as pumps, turbines, compressors and generators.

The comprehensive range of products and services from B&K Vibro include vibration sensors (acceleration, velocity, displacement), vibration monitors, software, and online-integrated plant-wide monitoring solutions. These technologies enable safe and secure operation in petrochemical complexes, factories, power plants and wind farms around the world, where they form part of innovative production and maintenance strategies.