Finnish firm Wärtsilä has acquired Ships Electronic Services (SES) as part of its strategy to strengthen its service support in the UK.
SES is a specialist provider of navigation and communication electronics, as well as installation, maintenance and repair services to commercial and leisure vessels.
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The enterprise value of the transaction is approximately £3.2m.
Founded in 1974, SES serves the UK marine market through its wholly owned subsidiary Greenham Regis.
The Rochester-based firm has a turnover of approximately £10m and employs 47 people.
The company operates a total of ten offices in the UK.
Commenting on the acquisition, Wärtsilä Marine Europe and Africa Area vice president Tamara de Gruyter said: “Wärtsilä has a long history in providing electrical and automation services in the UK. The acquisition strengthens our in-house service competences and local coverage.
“We are able to support our customers even better with a full range of electrical, automation, navigation and communication services.”
SES former shareholder and management team member Paul Rees said: “We have already identified several shared opportunities between the companies and look forward to bringing the enhanced service offering to our customers.”
Wärtsilä recently secured a contract to supply its newly launched modular waterjet for a high-speed ferry being built for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
In October, Wärtsilä acquired Spain-based Burriel Navarro to strengthen its underwater services and expand the company’s local presence in the European market.
One year ago, Wärtsilä signed an agreement to acquire Transas, a UK-based marine navigation solutions provider, for €210m, to accelerate its Smart Marine Ecosystem vision.
