Danfoss has officially completed the acquisition of Eatonv's $ 3.3 billion (approximately € 3 billion) hydraulics division by confirming all necessary regulatory approvals and conditions for closing the acquisition. Thanks to this step, the Danfoss Group will grow by a third and establish itself as a global leader in mobile and industrial hydraulics.

Mobile hydraulics has been one of Danfoss' main and most successful production segments for more than 50 years. The acquisition of the Eaton division is a key aspect of Danfoss' growth.
Eaton Hydraulics stores merge with Danfoss Power Solutions business segment, doubling Danfoss Hydraulics' sales volume. The Danfoss hydraulics division will expand by approx. 10,000 employees and annual turnover will increase by approx. $ 1.8 billion (approximately € 1.5 billion).

Danfoss Power Solutions will now offer a complete selection of solutions and products for mobile and industrial applications, including fluid transfer systems. Distribution channels will also be significantly strengthened, with local support significantly increased and geographical reach extended. All these benefits will enable Danfoss Power Solutions to become an even stronger technology partner for current and new customers and to take the lead in digitization and electrification.

The highest demands are placed on modern engines of working machines. Thanks to stricter emission regulations, meeting these requirements is becoming increasingly challenging. The engine compartments of the machines are shrinking, and while the number of components needed to meet emission limits is increasing, an intelligent heat management solution is a must.
Danfoss offers a complete fan drive solution - it provides several different hydraulic fan drive systems in open or closed circuit, with piston or gear hydraulic motors, with the possibility of changing the direction of rotation of the propeller (blower cooling). All these configurations also include the use of Danfoss PLUS + 1® controllers for precise and reliable control.

Danfoss has entered into an agreement to acquire Eaton hydraulics. The acquisition represents a significant milestone in the company's history and its Going Great strategy. The purchase price for the acquisition was set at USD 3.3 billion (approximately EUR 3.0 billion). The acquisition is fully in line with Danfoss's strategy to strengthen the company's core direction.

Danfoss and Eaton Hydraulics are leaders in the hydraulic industry and are much alike, including corporate culture and customer focus, research, development and quality. Both companies operate worldwide. This acquisition will further enable Danfoss to enter the industrial hydraulics market currently provided by Eaton Hydraulics.
Eaton Hydraulics offers products for agriculture, construction and industrial hydraulics. The company will integrate into the existing Danfoss division - Danfoss Power Solutions, with approximately 11,000 employees and revenue of $ 2.2 billion ($ 2.0 billion) in 2019, which will double the company's turnover.
Today, Danfoss has approximately 28,000 employees and revenue of $ 7.0 billion (€ 6.3 billion) in 2019. In this transaction, Danfoss will therefore increase its size by one third.

The transaction is subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals and is expected to close by the end of 2020.

Hydraulics “push” the new tunnel under the Alps

Hydraulic power

Powerful hydraulics play an important role in the construction of the new 55 km Brenner Tunnel. This will allow for a faster rail link between northern and southern Europe from 2020.

BIBUS HYDRAULIC Group, a Danfoss business partner, has developed and installed this hydraulic system. It was for their customer Rowa, who is a leader in tunneling systems and logistics.

Special trains on wheels

“We delivered a hydraulic system for six Rowa self-propelled trains. Each of them is a special vehicle made for specific tasks involving the transport of tunnel components. They also ensure the evacuation of workers from the tunnel and fire fighting, ”said Gabriel Richter, CEO of BIBUS HYDRAULIC in Switzerland. "This is the first time that tunnel construction trains have been built on wheels instead of rails."

Heavy ride

At a maximum load of 130 tonnes, trains must be able to climb into a tunnel with a 12% gradient and brake effectively. Top speed is 25 km per hour.
Danfoss has developed a train power unit using the powerful H1P series piston pumps and H1B series inclined block hydraulic motors. To meet all wheel steerability requirements, there is a Danfoss solution on each wheel. Hundreds of modular proportional electro-hydraulic PVG switchgear and cartridge valves ensure accurate flow control in the drive, damping and braking systems.

Adaptive braking

Due to the heavy load on the machine, a 460 kW diesel engine cannot provide 100% of the required braking capacity. BIBUS has developed customized brake blocks with proportional Danfoss PVG 120 and PVG 32 distributors that assume 30% of the braking power.
“Functional safety is a very important issue. Here we supported Rowa by analyzing the risks and taking into account the identified risks in the design of the hydraulic system, ”said Gabriel Richter.

Intelligent control

A team of electronics experts from BIBUS has programmed Danfoss PLUS + 1® software to intelligently and actively control the entire hydraulic system.
“PLUS + 1® compensates for the acceleration of freight platforms, which varies according to the weight of each platform. This ensures that the individual platforms move up and down at the same speed, regardless of their weight, ”Richter said.
With the support of Danfoss, BIBUS designed and delivered the hydraulic system in less than three months. Rowa trains are now in operation - meeting all expectations for highest performance.