March 2019

n NEWS THE SWISS motor-maker maxon motor has acquired the British geared motor manufacturer Parvalux Electric Motors for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition expands maxon’s portfolio into drives for medical technology and industrial automation, among other fields. Bournemouth-based Parvalux has been developing and producing brushed DC motors, AC motors and gearheads for more than 70 years. The company has 185 employees and three production sites. It generates annual revenues of around £23m, with just over 40% of its output being exported. The acquisition of Parvalux will expand the maxon’s portfolio to include DC drives in ratings up to 1.5kW, as well as introducing other technologies new to maxon, including AC motors and worm gearboxes. maxon says that with the deal it is taking another step towards becoming a provider of complete systems. Parvalux’s recent growth is in line with maxon motor’s strategy of working with users to offer customised products.  The acquisition also opens new markets in medical technologies (including stairlifts and electric wheelchairs) and industry (robotics and transport systems). Parvalux will benefit from maxon's global sales network to help drive its growth, which includes a planned expansion of its workforce. Parvalux’s management board will remain unchanged.  Parvalux was established in 1947 in Romford, Essex, where it where it initially performed motor rewinds. In 1957, it relocated to Bournemouth and moved from rewinding motors to designing and manufacturing gear-motors for industrial applications. In 2008 Parvalux acquired Essex-based EMD Drive Systems and relocated it to Bournemouth, nearly doubling its turnover in the process. Until its sale, Parvalux was part of the family-owned Clark Group. esirohtuA REKRAP/DSSd ytilicaFriapeR ehtotnoitaler oitcudorplluF • naenilotenil /CAforiapeR • .gnitsetdaoldnarotom .gnitsetresylanayte .ctescits sriaperllanodes .)ytilibaliavasera stcudorpetelo .tcudorpevirdafogniriaper niserudecorpgnikrown .stcudorpesahpeerhtd esahpelgnismorfsevirdCD p .stnuocec .p eramaetruos gniriaperdnagnicivres denibmocfosraey ku.oc.llaxob ku.oc.llaxobat@sevird 370728392 0 cimanydlluF • faslacirtcelE • alpgnidulcni ustrapMEO • sottcejbus sboforiapeR • ( 4 htiW neirepxE lehotydaer evirDrekraP ecneirepxe revo daoRebmoclaB02 M&retrevnIllaxoB RH96HRyerruS,yelroH, ,dtLertneCriapeRroto at.www 10 Maxon acquires UK geared motor maker Parvalux Parvalux's portfolio includes single-phase AC motors in ratings from 8W to 4kW This collaborative robot with two Scara arms has been installed at the University of Chester’s Innovation to Commercialisation (I2C) project which introduces local SMEs to advanced automation technologies. The duAro cobot has been supplied by Kawasaki Robotics, which will also present masterclasses in robotics and automation as part of the project. The four-axis cobot has a wheeled base, allowing it to be moved to where it is needed, and programmed rapidly to perform a variety of tasks using “teaching”software running on a tablet or Android phone. The I2C project, based at Thornton Science Park, has been part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.