SKF acquires Dutch service company
SKF acquires Dutch service company SKF has acquired 70 percent of the shares in the Dutch service company Machine Support BV. Machine Support specialises in precision geometric alignment and rotating machine alignment. The company employs 53 persons, has a turnover of some MSEK 30 and is located in Leiden in the Netherlands. Precision geometric alignment is a competence area that now is being strengthened in SKF. Machine Support's core business is in the marine and offshore industry. They also supply alignment related equipment to both original equipment manufacturers and to the aftermarket. The accurate mounting and alignment can be done for seagoing vessels as well as on industrial machinery. The company will continue to develop within these areas, but will also expand into the heavy industry sector. The products and services supplied have many applications in SKF's traditional markets such as the paper, the metalworking, the fluid machinery and the mining industry. Machine Support will also broaden the services offered to the offshore industry by DEI in Scotland, acquired by SKF earlier this year. Machine Support operates mainly in the Benelux countries, but has also recently established operations in Spain, Germany and the United States. The acquisition is in line with SKF's strategy to expand into the outsourced service markets by, in addition to selling bearings and seals, also sell mechanical services, preventive and predictive maintenance and condition monitoring solutions to improve plant reliability. The benefit for the customers is higher productivity levels and improved competitiveness. Göteborg, April 5, 2000 Aktiebolaget SKF (publ.) For further information, please contact: Lars G Malmer, SKF Group Communication, tel: +46-31-3371541, e-mail: lars.g.malmer@skf.com Aktiebolaget SKF, SE-415 50 Göteborg, Sverige, tel: +46-31-3371000, fax: +46-31-3372832, www.skf.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/04/05/20000405BIT00780/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/04/05/20000405BIT00780/bit0002.pdf