Royal Philips Electronics has acquired The Bodine Company, a manufacturer of emergency ballasts based in Collierville, Tennessee. Bodine had revenues of over $30 million in 2005; no further financial details were disclosed.
Brian Dundon, President & CEO of Philips Lighting Electronics North America said that the acquisition positions Philips very favorably in the niche emergency ballast market.
"[The deal] enables us to broaden our product portfolio and enter strategic new market segments involving building networks," said Dundon. "Together with Bodine we will pursue new opportunities in emergency lighting and improve the system compatibility of lamp, ballast, and emergency lighting technology."
Bodine’s emergency ballasts are compatible with a variety of different fixture types, including LED emergency lighting, which is emerging as a replacement for conventional incandescent, halogen and fluorescent light sources. Bodine offers custom-built emergency-only, AC/emergency, AC-only and DC drivers for LED lighting systems.
Products are designed for use in all conditions - indoor and dry locations, damp or hazardous locations, or extreme temperatures. Moreover, products can be selected to meet specific requirements such as special voltages, line frequencies and longer running times.
“Through proximity to Philips’ high-quality product offering, outstanding operations, extensive global resources and broad technical expertise, we will be able to strengthen and further grow our business,” says David Crippen, CEO of Bodine. “We look forward to continuing to develop the field of emergency lighting in the areas of automation and control, LED, and electronic HID technology as well as enhancing our overall value proposition within the lighting industry.”
Bodine will be fully integrated as a business unit within Philips Lighting, while its commercial activities will continue to be operated under the Bodine structure, which currently employs approximately 200 associates.
Philips and Bodine say that the emergency ballast arena offers extensive opportunities for growth and development, particularly as it relates to the market’s emerging provision of integrated and controllable emergency lighting solutions for use with building management systems.
