The Drives & Motion Division of Yaskawa America acquired Wermac Electric. Wermac supplies software, packaging solutions and on-site services, and has partnered with Yaskawa for 25 years to apply variable-speed drives and electrical controls to the oil and gas industry.
Yaskawa’s aim through the acquisition is to continue its growth in key vertical markets. The oil and gas market, for example, has extreme requirements for quality, packaging and special software.
“After 25 years of very successful partnership with Wermac, the time was right to take that partnership to its logical conclusion and become one company,” said Mike Knapek, president and COO of Yaskawa America, Motion and Drives Division. “This will allow for better service for our joint customers, with greater resources located locally.”
The new division is called Yaskawa Wermac, and is located at the former Wermac Electric facility in Calgary, Alberta. Yaskawa Wermac is now a division of Yaskawa Motoman Canada, which is a subsidiary of Yaskawa America. All key personnel have been retained.
“We are excited to be joining a global company with an elite reputation for technology and innovation,” said Jim MacKinnon, Wermac’s president. “The existing management team, sales team and production team will make a noticeable contribution to Yaskawa’s growth and our line of industry solutions, while expanding Yaskawa’s current offerings in the energy industry.”
MacKinnon will take on the role of director of oilfield operations for Yaskawa Wermac. Mark Bernicky, vice president of drives, will be responsible for integrating Yaskawa Wermac into the Yaskawa family of companies.
