Composites producer Gurit Holding AG has diversified into thermoset mold clamping technology used by producers of wind turbine blades used for renewable energy installations.
Gurit acquired PH Windsolutions Inc. of Montreal for undisclosed terms, the Wattwil, Switzerland, company announced April 26. Included in the deal, expected to close in August, is PH Windsolutions BV of Oldenzaal, the Netherlands.
PH Windsolutions makes modern thermoset mold clamping, turning, alignment and heating systems, as well as shear web installation devices. Its major market has been large wind turbines fabricated from thermoset composites, but it also recently entered the aerospace sector with manufacturing automation systems.
PH Windsolution President Marc Robitaille said the acquisition will give his firm direct access to Gurit's tool manufacturing capabilities.
"This will result in further streamlining of the manufacturing process of our customers," Robitaille noted in a news release.
Gurit will gain more global exposure in toolmaking from PH Windsolutions' Montreal and Switzerland locations. The purchase will boost Gurit's toolmaking business as well as expand its customer base. Gurit Tooling has operations in Taicang, China, and Szczecin, Poland. Other Gurit affiliates have North American operations in Magog, Quebec, and Bristol, R.I.
"We are delighted by this opportunity that will further strengthen our market leading position in wind blade mold making and create added value for our customers worldwide," stated Gurit Tooling general manager Bing Chen.
PH Windsolutions, established in 2008, employs about 66. It recorded sales of 12 million Swiss francs ($11.8 million) in 2016, significantly higher than in 2015, according to Gurit. The Montreal firm's management team, including Robitaille and director of operations Ian Comishin, will join Gurit Tooling as PH Windsolutions is integrated into the tooling business.
Gurit's composites materials product lines include fiber-reinforced prepregs, structural core items, gel coats, adhesives, resins and consumable goods. Other offerings are composite tooling, structural engineering and finished composite parts. Its other production sites and offices are in Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Poland, Ecuador, Australia, New Zealand and India.
Gurit and PH Windsolutions officials did not respond to requests for comment.
