Dresser-Rand

Dresser-Rand is an American engineering, manufacturing, and services business focused on rotating equipment and power-generation technologies. The company supplies machinery used across petroleum and natural-gas extraction, processing, transportation, refining, petrochemicals, power generation, and other industrial applications. Its principal product families include turbo and reciprocating compressors, steam turbines, industrial and aero-derivative gas turbines, high-speed engines, and modular power substations. In addition to new equipment, the business has historically provided engineering, project integration, modernization, repair, maintenance, and lifecycle support. The company was established in 1986 as an equally owned joint venture between Dresser Industries and Ingersoll Rand. Its heritage combines two substantial American industrial lineages. Dresser Industries traced its history to the 1938 combination of the Solomon R. Dresser Company and Clark Brothers Company, while Ingersoll Rand developed from nineteenth-century drilling and compressor businesses. This combined heritage gave Dresser-Rand capabilities in compressors, engines, turbines, and related equipment for demanding industrial environments. Ownership changed several times during the company’s development. After Dresser Industries merged with Halliburton in 1999, Halliburton’s 51 percent interest was sold to Ingersoll Rand in 2000. In 2004, private-equity firm First Reserve acquired the company from Ingersoll Rand. Dresser-Rand Group, Inc. subsequently became a publicly traded company through a 2005 initial public offering. During its independent period, the company expanded its technology and geographic reach, including through the 2012 acquisitions of Spanish engine supplier Grupo Guascor and Synchrony. Siemens announced an agreement to acquire Dresser-Rand Group in 2014 for approximately $7.6 billion in cash. The transaction closed on June 30, 2015, bringing Dresser-Rand into Siemens’ energy-related industrial portfolio and, subsequently, the Siemens Energy organization. The acquisition connected Dresser-Rand’s installed base and service network with Siemens’ broader energy, electrification, automation, and industrial technology capabilities. Dresser-Rand is therefore best understood today as a Siemens Energy-owned industrial equipment business and brand rather than as an independent listed company. The company has maintained a global operating footprint, with activities and customers spanning more than 150 countries. Its historical operations included significant engineering and manufacturing activities in North America and Europe, including the United States, France, Spain, Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands, as well as commercial and service presence in major energy markets in Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and elsewhere. In 2018, the former Dresser-Rand Government Business unit of Siemens Government Technologies was sold to Curtiss-Wright. The divestiture separated that defense-oriented activity, including naval steam-turbine and aircraft-carrier equipment support, from the main Dresser-Rand energy business.

Dresser-Rand was created in 1986 through an equally owned joint venture between Dresser Industries and Ingersoll Rand. The venture brought together complementary industrial traditions. Dresser Industries had emerged from the 1938 merger of the Solomon R. Dresser Company, founded in Bradford, Pennsylvania, and Clark Brothers Company, founded in Belmont, New York, in 1880 and later moved to Olean, New York. The Dresser Clark organization developed steam, diesel, and reciprocating engines as well as centrifugal compressors, with manufacturing activity in Olean and Le Havre, France. Dresser also expanded its turbine interests through the 1984 purchase of Turbodyne Corporation and the acquisition of a 50 percent interest in the gas-turbine division of Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk in 1985. Dresser-Rand acquired the remaining Kongsberg interest in 1989. Ingersoll Rand’s heritage extended back to 1871, when Simon Ingersoll founded the Ingersoll Rock Drill Company after developing a steam-powered rock drill. The business combined with the Sergeant Drill Company in 1888 and later merged with Rand Drill Company in 1905. Rand had begun producing compressors in Painted Post, New York, helping establish the compressor expertise that became central to Ingersoll Rand and later Dresser-Rand. In 2000, Ingersoll-Dresser Pumps, another Ingersoll Rand business, was sold to Flowserve; that transaction was separate from the ownership history of the Dresser-Rand joint venture. Dresser-Rand’s ownership structure changed after Dresser Industries merged with Halliburton in September 1999. Halliburton inherited Dresser Industries’ 51 percent interest in the joint venture. Under the original venture arrangements, that interest had to be sold to Ingersoll Rand or used to purchase the remaining stake. In February 2000, Halliburton sold its 51 percent interest to Ingersoll Rand, making Ingersoll Rand the company’s owner. On August 25, 2004, First Reserve entered an agreement to acquire Dresser-Rand from Ingersoll Rand for approximately $1.2 billion. The transaction closed on October 29, 2004, and Dresser-Rand Group, Inc. was organized as a Delaware corporation. First Reserve subsequently sponsored the company’s public offering on August 4, 2005. The IPO established Dresser-Rand as an independent listed industrial company, allowing it to pursue expansion while retaining a broad installed base in compressors, turbines, engines, and related services. The independent company continued to broaden its portfolio. In 2012 it acquired Grupo Guascor, a Spanish engine supplier, and Synchrony. These transactions supported its capabilities in engines and distributed or specialized power applications. Dresser-Rand served customers in petroleum, natural gas, power generation, and other process industries, combining equipment sales with engineering, installation, maintenance, modernization, and repair services. Siemens announced in September 2014 that it would acquire Dresser-Rand Group for approximately $7.6 billion in cash. The acquisition was completed on June 30, 2015. Dresser-Rand thereafter operated within Siemens’ energy-related businesses and ultimately became part of the Siemens Energy structure. The transaction marked the end of Dresser-Rand’s independent public-company phase while preserving its equipment portfolio and service relationships within a larger energy technology group. A portion of the acquired business was later separated. In 2018, Curtiss-Wright acquired the Dresser-Rand Government Business unit from Siemens Government Technologies for $212.5 million in cash. That unit had supplied steam turbines and main-engine guard valves for aircraft-carrier programs and provided repair and maintenance services to the United States Navy’s Atlantic and Pacific fleets. The sale narrowed the Dresser-Rand activities retained within Siemens toward its principal commercial energy and industrial applications. The brand’s historical and current identity is consequently tied to compressors, turbines, engines, power equipment, and lifecycle services delivered to global energy and industrial customers.

• 2018

  Government Business unit is divested

  [1]Dresser-Randen.wikipedia.org

  Curtiss-Wright purchases the Dresser-Rand Government Business unit from Siemens Government Technologies.

• 2015

  Siemens acquisition is completed

  [1]Dresser-Randen.wikipedia.org

  Siemens completes its acquisition of Dresser-Rand Group on June 30, bringing the business into its energy portfolio.

• 2012

  Expansion through Grupo Guascor and Synchrony acquisitions

  [1]Dresser-Randen.wikipedia.org

  Dresser-Rand expands its engine and technology portfolio by acquiring Grupo Guascor and Synchrony.

• 2005

  Dresser-Rand becomes publicly traded

  [1]Dresser-Randen.wikipedia.org

  First Reserve takes Dresser-Rand Group, Inc. public through an initial public offering.

• 2004

  First Reserve acquisition closes

  [1]Dresser-Randen.wikipedia.org

  First Reserve completes its approximately $1.2 billion purchase of Dresser-Rand from Ingersoll Rand.

• 2000

  Ingersoll Rand becomes the owner

  [1]Dresser-Randen.wikipedia.org

  Halliburton sells the 51 percent Dresser-Rand interest inherited through its combination with Dresser Industries to Ingersoll Rand.

• 1989

  Dresser-Rand acquires the remaining Kongsberg gas-turbine interest

  [1]Dresser-Randen.wikipedia.org

  The company completes its acquisition of the remaining 50 percent interest in Kongsberg’s gas-turbine division.

• 1986

  Dresser-Rand joint venture is established

  [1]Dresser-Randen.wikipedia.org

  Dresser Industries and Ingersoll Rand create Dresser-Rand as an equally owned industrial equipment venture.

An engineering-led supplier of high-performance rotating equipment, power-generation machinery, and lifecycle services for energy and process industries.

• Compressors

  Turbo compressors

  Dresser-Rand’s turbo-compressor activities cover high-capacity rotating compression equipment used in petroleum, natural-gas, processing, and industrial applications. These systems are engineered for continuous operation and can be integrated with drivers, controls, auxiliaries, and maintenance programs.

• Compressors

  Reciprocating compressors

  Reciprocating compressors form another major part of the portfolio, supporting applications requiring substantial pressure ratios or flexible operating performance. The business supplies equipment and associated engineering and service capabilities for upstream, midstream, downstream, and industrial customers.

• Turbines

  Steam turbines

  The steam-turbine line serves power generation and industrial processes in which steam is converted into mechanical or electrical power. The equipment heritage includes Dresser and Dresser Clark technologies, while lifecycle support includes repair, modernization, and maintenance services.

• Turbines

  Industrial and aero-derivative gas turbines

  Dresser-Rand supplies industrial and aero-derivative gas-turbine technologies for power generation and mechanical-drive applications. The portfolio reflects the company’s historical turbine businesses, including capabilities associated with Turbodyne and Kongsberg-derived gas-turbine activities.

• Engines · 2012

  High-speed engines

  High-speed engines support distributed power and industrial mechanical-drive uses. The business strengthened this area through its acquisition of Grupo Guascor, adding engine expertise and related solutions to the broader rotating-equipment portfolio.

• Power equipment

  Modular power substations

  Modular power substations provide packaged electrical infrastructure for industrial and energy projects. They complement Dresser-Rand’s generation and rotating-equipment offerings by supporting integrated project delivery and site-level power distribution.

• Services

  Lifecycle services

  Service activities include equipment repair, maintenance, modernization, engineering support, and other lifecycle work for installed compressors, turbines, engines, and related systems. This service model extends customer relationships beyond the initial equipment sale.

• 2018

  Divestiture of Dresser-Rand Government BusinessM&A

  Background

  Siemens reviewed the portfolio of activities acquired with Dresser-Rand, including the government-oriented business serving naval and defense programs.

  Action taken

  Curtiss-Wright acquired the Dresser-Rand Government Business unit from Siemens Government Technologies for cash.

  Aftermath

  The divestiture removed the government business from Siemens’ retained Dresser-Rand activities, leaving the core brand more closely associated with commercial energy and industrial equipment.

  Divestiture value. $212.5 million (2018 transaction)

  Source

• 2014

  Siemens announces acquisition of Dresser-RandM&A

  Background

  Siemens sought to expand its energy equipment and services position through the purchase of Dresser-Rand Group.

  Action taken

  Siemens announced a cash offer valued at approximately $7.6 billion, which was completed on June 30, 2015.

  Aftermath

  Dresser-Rand ceased to operate as an independent listed company and became part of Siemens’ energy business, later associated with Siemens Energy.

  Acquisition value. $7.6 billion (2014 announced transaction)

  Source

• 2004

  Sale of Dresser-Rand to First ReserveM&A

  Background

  Ingersoll Rand decided to sell its Dresser-Rand business after owning the venture outright since 2000.

  Action taken

  First Reserve entered an agreement valued at approximately $1.2 billion and completed the acquisition on October 29, 2004.

  Aftermath

  Dresser-Rand Group, Inc. was organized as a Delaware corporation and later pursued an independent public listing.

  Acquisition value. $1.2 billion (2004 transaction)

  Source

1. 1Dresser-Randen.wikipedia.org