Emerson acquires Westinghouse PCD for Fisher-Rosemount group

To serve more of the power-hungry power market and round out its solutions from field devices to automation systems, Emerson Electric Co. recently acquired the Westinghouse Process Control Division (PCD, Pittsburgh, Pa.) of CBS Corp.A worldwide supplier of automation to the commercial power and wastewater industries, especially in China and Eastern Europe, Westingho...

By Staff July 1, 1998

To serve more of the power-hungry power market and round out its solutions from field devices to automation systems, Emerson Electric Co. recently acquired the Westinghouse Process Control Division (PCD, Pittsburgh, Pa.) of CBS Corp.

A worldwide supplier of automation to the commercial power and wastewater industries, especially in China and Eastern Europe, Westinghouse PCD will become part of the Fisher-Rosemount companies in Emerson’s process group. Demand for new generating capacity in developing regions and deregulation-inspired upgrades in mature markets have fueled commercial power’s appetite.

“This acquisition gives Fisher-Rosemount access to the fastest growing industry segment in the process automation business: commercial power,” says David Farr, Emerson’s executive vp and head of its process group. “Westinghouse PCD has the application knowledge, project execution capabilities, and the control system products—including the new Ovation system—to effectively serve the power industry. These offerings complement the range of automation products and services from Fisher-Rosemount and other Emerson companies.”

Because it’s already recognized as an automation solutions provider, Westinghouse PCD will retain its name and gain an added identity as a Fisher-Rosemount member. Westinghouse PCD will also keep its own mission, operation, and channel structures and will have the same autonomy as Fisher-Rosemount’s other firms. Ann Pauley, Westinghouse PCD’s vp and general manager, will continue to lead the division and will report directly to Mr. Farr. No management team changes are planned and no plant closings or layoffs are expected.

“Fisher-Rosemount’s PlantWeb field-based architecture—with its intelligent measurement devices, control valves, analyzers, scalable systems, and software—provides users added value through technologies like FOUNDATION Fieldbus and applications like Asset Management Solutions,” says Ms. Pauley. “We’re looking forward to bringing this added value to the industries we serve.”

In the short term, Westinghouse PCD’s management abilities will help it use Fisher-Rosemount’s products for solutions in its target industries. It’s also possible that Westinghouse PCD will incorporate technologies developed by other Fisher-Rosemount companies in its own product lines and vice versa. However, there are no plans to merge the firms’ product lines because they were built to serve different markets.

For more information, visit www.controleng.com/info .