NSK Ltd. has completed the acquisition of Brüel & Kjær Vibro (‘B&K Vibro’), a global condition monitoring system (CMS) specialist. Following the initial announcement on 10 December 2020, finalising the purchase of B&K Vibro from Spectris Plc. will further strengthen NSK’s ability to meet customer demand for automation, labour savings, smart technology and environmentally sustainable solutions.
Condition monitoring is the process of checking a machine or system parameter, such as vibration or temperature, in order to identify a change which is indicative of a developing fault. The use of condition monitoring, which can take place while the machine is running, allows maintenance to be scheduled, or the implementation of other actions that prevent a major failure.
NSK’s acquisition of B&K Vibro will accelerate the development of its business platform in the growing CMS market. The core products of NSK’s portfolio – bearings, ball screws and linear guides – are vital components that directly affect the function and performance of machinery. NSK’s wealth of data and technology related to these components will prove invaluable in enhancing and developing B&K Vibro’s next-generation predictive maintenance systems, delivering new value to the market.
B&K Vibro has around 220 employees and annual sales of €52.5 million, with 43% of this figure attributable to sales in Europe. The company’s major markets are wind power (42%, over 30,000 installations), oil and gas (16%, more than 10,000 installations) and hydro and thermal power (7%, over 800 installations).
