NSK Ltd. has signed an agreement to acquire Brüel & Kjær Vibro, a leading specialist in condition monitoring systems (CMS), from Spectris Plc.

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 EUR169 million.

Overview of B&K Vibro

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 onlineintegrated 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.

About NSK Europe

NSK Europe Ltd. is the European organisation of the Tokyo-based bearing manufacturer NSK, which was founded in Japan in 1916 and today employs nearly 31,000 people in its worldwide operations. The products and solutions provided by the industrial and automotive supplier can be found wherever things move. In addition to nearly all types of rolling bearings, the company's portfolio includes housed bearings, linear technology, wheel bearing units, transmission and engine bearings and steering systems. The company is oriented to perfection in all of its business activities. Its aim is quality leadership in its industry, which it strives for through a continuous process of improvement, excellent product development, optimised production processes and customer-oriented service processes. In fiscal year 2019, the more than 4,400 employees of NSK Europe Ltd. generated sales of over EUR 920 million.

www.nskeurope.com

Contact for journalists

Marie-Dominique Pilath

Tel. : +49 2102 4811280

E-mail : pilath-m@nsk.com

NSK Deutschland GmbH

Harkortstraße 15

40880 Ratingen

Germany

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