MAN Diesel & Turbo to Buy 40% Stake in Aspin Kemp
MAN Diesel & Turbo said it has contractually agreed to acquire a 40 percent participation in Aspin Kemp & Associates (AKA), a Canadian company specializing in power supply, energy management and drive systems for marine applications.
Jointly, the companies will offer turnkey integrated power, propulsion and automation solutions.
AKA co-founder Jason Aspin will remain with the company as Managing Director and shareholder, while the other founding partner, Neale Kemp will sell his shares in AKA and retire from active business operations.
MAN Diesel & Turbo said the investment is part of its strategic development program, "Basecamp 3000+", launched in 2016. As part of this program, the company announced strategic acquisitions and partnerships to expand its product range with respect to the global trends of decarburization and digitalization.
"The partnership with AKA is a key element in our strategy to strengthen our role as technological forerunner in the field of marine propulsion,” said Dr. Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Diesel & Turbo. “AKA's specialized expertise links battery storage systems and marine engines. The new cooperation marks an important step on the way to further establish ourselves as a principal system supplier for energy management on board ships."
"As the world's premiere designer and manufacturer of marine propulsion systems, MAN Diesel & Turbo is the perfect partner for us," said Jason Aspin. "We benefit not only from the global prestige of the brand, its global sales network and customer base, but also from the top-class engineering and ma-chine building competence in the fields of engines, exhaust gas after treatment and gas and propulsion systems."
Barend Thijssen, Vice President MAN Diesel & Turbo and Head of Sales & Promotion Four-Stroke Engines & Marine Systems, said, "AKA is a technological pioneer in growth niches that are of decisive importance for us, for ex-ample in the integration of battery storage technology for hybrid drive systems for the maritime sector. Hybrid drives are becoming ever-more important as they help to improve the efficiency and at the same time reduce emissions."
