KOHLER, Wis.
— Kohler Co. announces that its Power Group has signed an agreement to acquire
multinational Curtis Instruments, headquartered in Mount Kisco, New
York. Curtis is an electrification partner to OEMs across a broad range of
markets including material handling, golf and recreational vehicles, mobile
elevated work platforms, construction, agriculture, turf care, marine and
select on-road segments. Founded in 1960, the company employs approximately
1,100 individuals and operates in 16 countries, including manufacturing
locations in Puerto Rico, Bulgaria, China and India.
Curtis’ product portfolio
spans motor speed controllers, HMIs and instrumentation, power conversion, CAN
modules and other accessories. With a deep roster of talent across five
engineering centers, Curtis also develops advanced software solutions for its
customers. The acquisition expands and diversifies Kohler’s power portfolio by
leveraging Curtis’ electrification expertise with Kohler’s well-established
gasoline and diesel engine business to serve off-highway OEM customers. Curtis
Instruments will operate as a standalone entity within the Kohler Power Group
with Stuart Marwell, president, reporting to Brian Melka, group president – power.
Kohler Power and Curtis now have more than 160 years of combined technical
experience in energy management solutions. Terms of the agreement are not
disclosed.
The transaction is
announced just days following Kohler’s acquisition of Heila Technologies – a
microgrid software controls company – and the creation of a separate Home
Energy Management Systems (HEMS) business unit focused on residential energy
storage.
“We’re excited to welcome
Curtis Instruments to our Kohler Power organization. This business, under the
leadership of Stuart and Nick Marwell, is highly regarded for its
market-leading position and expertise in electric and hybrid off-highway
applications,” Melka said. “For more than 100 years, Kohler has been a
preferred source of power for homes, businesses, and equipment, and integrating
the Kohler and Curtis product portfolios and existing OEM relationships will
create substantial growth opportunities for both brands. With this acquisition,
we are leveraging our history of trusted expertise in power resiliency, as
clean energy continues to play a crucial role in the continued expansion of
Kohler Power.”
“Our entire Curtis
Instruments organization is excited to join the Kohler Company of global
businesses and be part of a forward-thinking privately held company,” Marwell
said. “We were drawn to Kohler because of its nearly 150-year history of strong
family leadership and innovation, as well as its commitment to embracing the
growing shift to electrification and hybridization. We are excited to help lead
this next chapter for Kohler. Kohler and Curtis brands both stand for quality,
innovation and commitment to long-term customer success.”