Huntington Beach-based Mission Critical Electronics (MCE), which makes electric power products under several brands, has expanded its reach again.
MCE has bought ZeroRPM, a Cullman, Ala.-based company that specializes in systems to reduce fuel use, including ways to decrease the amount of time that motor vehicle engines are idling and adding to air pollution. Before that MCE’s most recent purchase was fleet electric products maker Purkeys in Arkansas in 2019.
The purchase announced last month brought to eight the number of brands under the MCE umbrella.
“ZeroRPM’s patented Idle Mitigation System technology expands MCE’s range of clean energy solutions for specialty vehicles,” MCE Chief Executive Kevin Moschetti told the Business Journal on July 22.
He added: “ZeroRPM’s U.S.-based lithium battery module manufacturing capability and battery management system expertise expands MCE’s ability to provide electrification solutions to our customers in vehicle, marine and other markets.”
Advanced Energy Storage
ZeroRPM specializes in anti-idling technology and providing advanced energy storage and hybrid products that convert conventional vehicles into cost-efficient hybrid units.
The company’s system provides continuing power to the vehicle’s equipment, including heating and air-conditioning, without idling the engine. That creates a hybrid vehicle with lithium-ion battery technology that integrates with a vehicle’s engine and existing electrical system, and automatically restarts the engine to recharge the batteries when necessary, according to Moschetti.
ZeroRPM’s products are said to save fuel and routine maintenance costs while reducing emissions and engine wear.
Business Growing
Moschetti declined to provide MCE revenue numbers but said the “business continued to grow” during the pandemic.
“Our products are installed in emergency vehicles like ambulances and firetrucks, heavy duty trucks, commercial marine vessels and provide power to radios used for public safety communications. We had to continue manufacturing throughout the pandemic to serve these critical infrastructure needs,” Moschetti said.
With the acquisition of ZeroRPM, MCE now has over 250 employees located in the United States and Canada. MCE also has supply chain professionals in Asia and have recently opened a sales office in Europe.
Windjammer Portfolio
The announcement of the acquisition was made by Newport Beach-based Windjammer Capital Investors, which counts MCE as one of its portfolio companies. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
MCE, located at 15272 Newsboy Circle in Surf City, operates under the brands Xantrex, Kussmaul Electronics, Newmar Power, ASEA Power Systems, Power Products, American Battery Charging and Purkeys in addition to newly added ZeroRPM.
“We are always looking at other opportunities to add to the MCE family,” said Moschetti.
Halo Additions
Elsewhere on the acquisitions front, Irvine’s Halo Technology Group, a manufacturer of fiber optic transceivers and high-speed cabling, said July 12 it had completed two acquisitions to broaden its product portfolio and strengthen its global presence.
Halo said July 12 it had acquired ARIA Technologies, a designer, manufacturer, and provider of fiber optical connectivity solutions headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area.
It’s one of three new buys for Halo, which also recently acquired Solid Optics, a global provider of fiber optic transceivers, high-speed cabling, and passive and active networking technology headquartered in Almere, Netherlands.
Halo in January said it had acquired Skylane Optics, whose optical networking products enable critical voice, video, and data networks for enterprise, service provider, data center and telecommunications providers globally.
Halo Technology was created by London-based Inflexion Private Equity Partners in June 2017.
