Johnson Controls acquires magnetic bearing firm
USA: Johnson Controls is to acquire US active magnetic bearing technology company Synchrony, part of Siemens Gas and Power.
The acquisition will enable Johnson Controls to improve the performance of its centrifugal chiller products, which rely on magnetic bearings to boost energy efficiency, improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs, among other benefits.
“This acquisition will allow us to access untapped benefits in performance and efficiency that will competitively position our chiller products for years to come,” said Ian Casper, vice president, product engineering, global chiller products, Johnson Controls.
“Owning this technology will enable deeper integration of chiller system development, which will further enhance customer value,” he added.
As part of the acquisition, Johnson Controls will obtain all of Synchrony’s products and intellectual property. In addition to magnetic bearings, those products include motors and drives, generators and advanced active magnetic bearing monitoring software.
Johnson Controls partnered with Synchrony in 2016 to develop the York YZ magnetic bearing centrifugal chiller. Launched in early 2018, the YZ is optimised for use with HFO refrigerant R1233zd(E).
Synchrony is headquartered in Roanoke County, Virginia.
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