OT: Wow I did not know that

In Googling around for automation companies market shares, I came across the archived link.





Eventually Rockwell outbid Siemens and others for the A-B line, and this is probably why Siemens then turned their sights on TI.
If you can't beat 'em, buy 'em

Internal (to AB) feelings at the time were that Siemens was only interested in the distribution network - caused considerable unease with employees. There was also a management buy-out bid and IBM was rumoured to be interested as well.

In the end, it seems like AB has taken over Rockwell.

Just think...there would be a lot more STL questions (on plctalk.net) if that would of happened

a blast from the past

Last month I had dinner with a handful of A-B guys and the newest rumor was that ABB of Switzerland was in the market to take over Rockwell Automation.

Two years ago it was Cutler-Hammer.... people swore that C-H executives were walking through the heaquarters building picking out their offices.

And yet..... the Polish Moon shines on.

Eddie Willers said:

Last month I had dinner with a handful of A-B guys and the newest rumor was that ABB of Switzerland was in the market to take over Rockwell Automation.

Two years ago it was Cutler-Hammer.... people swore that C-H executives were walking through the heaquarters building picking out their offices.

And yet..... the Polish Moon shines on.

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What is the price of Polish Sausage these days?

Talking of Cutler-Hammer, I understand they are about to release their own line of PLCs pretty soon.


I wonder how that'll work out.

SLC_Integrator said:

Talking of Cutler-Hammer, I understand they are about to release their own line of PLCs pretty soon.


I wonder how that'll work out.

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I was under the impression that their PLC's had been around for some time?

Or maybe I'm mistaken as it's a few years since I've seen one, but I thought the D100 and the D200 were Cutler-Hammer, as were Eaton PLC's (at least owned by Cutler-Hammer as they have their badge on them).

They also had the Numa Logic line of PLC's, that was the old Westinghouse line...

Rumor was at the time of the Siemens bidding war, the family that still owned a big chunk of A-B was fairly adamant about it not going to a foreign suitor, but Rockwell's bid was under the Siemens bid. Other major stockholders were pressured to not accept the higher amount in order to keep it "American" (whatever that means any more).

The ABB rumor was running around quite a bit a month or so ago, but these things typically have a half-life of about 6 months if left to themselves. The curious thing is that the rumor has all but dried up, which would make me think it may have legs. I was at Square-D right at the time of the Schneider takeover, that's exactly how it went down 6 months before the bidding war went public. We heard rumors, then nothing, then assurances that they were all false, then the truth, then it was all over... except the bloodbath.

jraef said:

Rumor was at the time of the Siemens bidding war, the family that still owned a big chunk of A-B was fairly adamant about it not going to a foreign suitor, but Rockwell's bid was under the Siemens bid. Other major stockholders were pressured to not accept the higher amount in order to keep it "American" (whatever that means any more).

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Just a small point - AB was completely privately-owned by the Bradley family trust. I think they viewed selling to Rockwell as the best available option to maintain continuity in the company.

MartB said:

I was under the impression that their PLC's had been around for some time?

Or maybe I'm mistaken as it's a few years since I've seen one, but I thought the D100 and the D200 were Cutler-Hammer, as were Eaton PLC's (at least owned by Cutler-Hammer as they have their badge on them).

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Wow, resserected thread.

We have a few PLCs with the Cuttler Hammer logo on them. The newer ones are NEC branded, and I since found out (from this very forum) that they were actually re-badged Toshibas.

A year or so from now we will have decommissioned the machines controlled by them, so an end of an era for us.

I knew Eaton sold PanelMates under their brand but not PLCs.


Anyways I heard from the local Eaton rep that something may be in the pipeline though wether its just another rebadged brand I have no clue.

Anyways I heard from the local Eaton rep that something may be in the pipeline though wether its just another rebadged brand I have no clue

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IFM Controller on a Can Network???