Emerson Strikes Again!

ControlGlobal.com
09/01/2005

SOLARTRAN MOBREY -- whose measurement technologies include level, density, viscosity and flow computer products -- will be renamed Mobrey Measurement and become part of Emerson Process Management. The acquisition includes all Solartron Mobrey technologies, services, manufacturing facilities and employees.

Solartron Mobrey products provide continuous and point monitoring for process industries worldwide, including applications in oil and gas production and refining, chemical and petrochemical, water and waste treatment, food and beverage, and power and steam generation. Headquartered outside of London, the Solartron Mobrey business has manufacturing in the United Kingdom and France with sales and support in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

So what does this mean for the industry? Well, it positions Emerson really well to compete with Siemens, whose acquisitions of Milltronics and Danfoss Flow Systems in the last few years have given them a leg up in the non-contacting level and flow business. It means that Honeywell's ability to provide a package including low cost sensors has been dealt a blow. Rockwell, too, has been weakened by this, since once again, Emerson now has at least two of everything.

Integrating Solartron Mobrey into the Emerson family of transmitters will be an interesting endeavor, however, and will take many product revisions, so Mobrey Measurement may get the ability to operate fairly independently for some time.