Rockwell Automation acquires SoftSwitching Technologies

Rockwell Automation has acquired SoftSwitching Technologies, a leading provider of industrial power quality detection and protection systems.

Rockwell plans to align SoftSwitching Technologies with the Rockwell Automation Control Products & Solutions operating segment.

Based in Middleton, Wisconsin, SoftSwitching Technologies provides solutions to improve uptime in manufacturing production by identifying and correcting ‘voltage sags’. These brief power disruptions can cause computerised machinery to go offline, precision instruments to fail and control systems to shut down - issues that can be costly for businesses.

“Brief power disruptions account for up to 70% of all unscheduled downtime in manufacturing today,” said Bob Lennon, Vice President of industrial components. “Studies show that most of these events are caused by voltage sags lasting less than two seconds. SoftSwitching Technologies’ products strengthen our capabilities in plant-wide optimisation, complement our current power quality solutions and protect our customers’ manufacturing assets.”

In contrast with battery-based, three-phase uninterruptible power supplies or constant voltage transformers, SoftSwitching Technologies’ battery-free environmentally friendly products provide costs and performance advantages. The global, centralised intelligent network system also provides power grid alerts so manufacturers can monitor activity and correlate power quality events with unscheduled downtime.

“This acquisition provides the necessary resources to extend all SoftSwitching Technologies’ unique technologies into many more applications through the Rockwell Automation global channels network,” said Jason Doescher, SoftSwitching Technologies’ Chief Financial Officer.