LIGHT + CURRENT
Expansion opportunities in hydraulics and automation
The 50 % acquisition of
Hytec
by
Bosch Rexroth
offers greater expan-
sion opportunities into sub-Saharan Africa’s hydraulics and automa-
tion markets. The joint venture came into effect on 1 October 2014,
concluding the first phase of agreements signed on 15 May 2014.
The Hytec/ Bosch Rexroth merger represents the next step in a re-
lationship that began with Hytec’s accreditation as the sole importer
of Bosch Rexroth products into SouthAfrica since the 1960s.With the
region’s mining, oil and gas, power and general support industries
identified as a key growth market, the joint venture enables each
entity to leverage the core offerings of the other to provide superior
automation solutions for the region. The closer affiliation with the
Bosch Rexroth brand will position the Hytec Group as the recognised
service, repair and refurbishment OEM partner of Bosch Rexroth
components, such as pumps, cylinders, motors, filters and valves.
“This will enhance our service
support capabilities for the re-
gion’s industrial projects, and
allow us to better fulfil the needs
of our customers,” explains John
Wingrove, chief executive of-
ficer, Hytec Holdings.
Enquiries:WillemGijzelaar.Tel.
011 979 4630 or email
info@hyhold.co.zaHytec Rexroth Management
From left to right: Management
team for the Hytec Group/ Bosch
Rexroth joint venture: Roland
Keller (deputy chief executive
officer, Hytec Holdings), John
Wingrove (chief executive
officer, Hytec Holdings), Dr. Karl
Tragl (president Bosch Rexroth),
John Dunmow (group finance
controller) and Andrew Castle
(chief finance officer).
Partnership
In order to pursue substantial growth op-
portunities, particularly on larger heating
projects inAfrica, unitemp has entered into
an agreement to become a wholly owned
subsidiary of
Thermon
, a global leader in
the industrial heating market and a channel
partner of unitemp for many years.
“We are excited about this new devel-
opment. We believe that the combined
company will enable us to strengthen our
product ranges, expand our services and
assist us in becoming a stronger partner to
our valued customers, distributors and sup-
pliers," says Hans Hitzeroth, chief executive
officer and member of unitemp.
The acquisition will be completed by a
newly formed entity calledThermon South
Africa, which is currently in the process of
being formally registered in South Africa.
“Other than a change in company name,
we do not foresee any material changes to
our business from the way it is conducted
today. We anticipate that the brand name
unitemp will continue to be utilized for
many of the products we sell in South
Africa. Our management team and staff
will remain in place following the closing
of the transaction and we will continue to
offer the same product ranges and services
going forward.”
Through its global network, Thermon
provides highly engineered thermal solu-
tions, known as heat tracing, for process
industries, including energy, chemical pro-
cessing and power generation.Thermon's
products provide an
external heat source
to pipes, vessels and
instruments for the
purposes of freeze
protection, tempera-
ture maintenance,
environmental moni-
toring and surface
snow and ice melt-
ing.Thermon is head-
quartered in San Mar-
cos, Texas.Thermon
generated annual
revenue of USD $277
million in its most
recently completed
fiscal year and has
offices in more than
15 countries around
the globe.
The unitemp team would like to thank all
clients across sub-Saharan Africa for their
continued support during 2014 and we are
looking forward to becoming part of the
globalThermon operations in 2015.
Enquiries: Hans Hitzeroth.Tel. 021 762 8995
or email
info@unitemp.comElectricity+Control
February ‘15
42