Media center

The acquisition allows DKSH to further its strategic goals locally in providing an excellent fit for its rapidly expanding Industrial Services business. Drives and Power Systems were established in 1991 after recognising the potential market in Australia for drive systems expertise and control solutions. A philosophy was born that put product knowledge and customer support high on the agenda and, with an ever growing portfolio of premium customers, Drives and Power Systems has rapidly gained a reputation in customer service and overall expertise in industrial control solutions.

The acquisition consolidates the DKSH partnership with ABB and extends its premium and complimentary portfolio of suppliers to also now include Parker Hannifin Australia - SSD Drives and West Instruments. This places DKSH in the position of offering total control solutions to a greatly expanded customer base.

Under the plan developed for the acquisition, the Drives and Power Systems business will be integrated into DKSH Australia and will relocate to DKSH's head office and logistics operation based in Hallam, Victoria, on 2nd July, 2008. The strong market reputation and success achieved by the Drives and Power Systems team will be greatly enhanced by DKSH's significant national sales team, IT and marketing resources and strong financial position. Additional human resources in sales and engineering will be engaged to increase customer and stake-holder satisfaction.

DKSH provides a broad and customer centric range of expertise and products including cables and connectors for power, control, instrumentation, telecommunications and data applications, electrical enclosures in both metal and plastic, AC and DC drives, low voltage control, monitoring products and turnkey control solutions, electrical cable handling, protection, mounting and installation systems.

DKSH's product portfolio and expertise extends into the field of compressed air, offering a comprehensive range of industrial duty air compressors, air handling equipment, piping, hoses, filtration, couplings, fittings, fixtures, tools and blowguns. Products marketed by DKSH are produced wherever possible from environmentally sound materials and in accordance with environmental best practices.

DKSH partners with world class manufacturing companies with core competence in designing and building state-of-the-art machinery for recycling and resource recovery, plastics processing and packaging. DKSH's value proposition is to only offer solutions that are best in class and are supported with engineering excellence, that makes a difference to customers in reducing risk, providing assurance and producing a better bottom line by increasing efficiencies, accessing new value streams, lower life-cycle costs and an attractive return on investment. DKSH adds to global and local resource sustainability.

DKSH provides the scientific and industrial community with a range of high quality consumables, lab-ware and specialised instrumentation products and value-added services. DKSH supports scientists engaged in biological research, diagnostic health care, environmental, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, mining and petrochemical industries and tertiary education. DKSH are committed to protecting our environment by continuous improvement of our processes, products and services.

The DKSH Group is No.1 in Market Expansion Services with focus on Asia-Pacific, helping suppliers and customers to grow their businesses in new and existing markets. DKSH are a Swiss company headquartered in Zurich and over 140 years of company history. With 365 business locations in 35 countries and more than 22,000 specialised staff DKSH offer any combination of sourcing, marketing, sales, distribution and after-sales services.

DKSH provides expertise and on-the-ground logistics based on a comprehensive network of unique size and depth.

Business activities are organised into four highly specialised Business Units that mirror our fields of expertise: Consumer Goods, Healthcare, Performance Materials and Technology.

As one of the top 20 Swiss companies, ranked by sales and employees DKSH generated in 2007 annual gross revenues in excess of $9,300 million.