Wipro Hydraulics: Wipro Enterprises’ hydraulics business acquires US rival Columbus

In its second acquisition in four months, Wipro Hydraulics, the hydraulic cylinder manufacturing business of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN), has announced the purchase of US rival Columbus Hydraulics. The deal is aimed at strengthening manufacturing capabilities in North America, the company said in a statement. The cost of acquisition was not disclosed.

The move follows the previous acquisition of private equity-backed Canadian firm Mailhot Industries announced in May.

“The acquisition of Columbus Hydraulics, following our recently acquired Mailhot Industries, is a strategic move to accelerate growth in North America. This acquisition complements our product and customer portfolio, allowing us to offer a broader range of hydraulic solutions for varied applications. Our combined skilled workforce will enable us to innovate for the current and future needs of our customers,” said Sitaram Ganeshan, president, Wipro Hydraulics.

Established in 1952, Columbus Hydraulics delivers custom hydraulic solutions for a variety of applications in the agriculture, construction, turf maintenance and marine space.

“As a leading independent hydraulic cylinder manufacturer, Wipro Hydraulics has established a significant presence in all growth markets. This acquisition strengthens our position and enhances our manufacturing capabilities in North America. By integrating Columbus Hydraulics’ expertise in customized hydraulic solutions, we aim to provide even more comprehensive offerings to our customers,” said Pratik Kumar, chief executive officer at WIN.

Columbus will bring 150 employees and a plant spanning 120,000 square feet. Post-acquisition, Columbus Hydraulics will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of WIN.

“With $45 million in revenue and comprehensive capabilities, this acquisition positions us as a global leader in independent hydraulic cylinder manufacturing, enhancing our ability to drive innovation and accelerate growth across diverse applications,” WIN further said.This acquisition is WIN’s fifth under the hydraulics business and fourteenth overall. For Wipro Enterprises, this is the 29^th acquisition.

Backed by billionaire Azim Premji’s Wipro group, WIN is the unlisted industrial engineering division of Wipro Enterprises which has an annual revenue of $1.9-billion (as against Wipro Ltd’s $11.2 billion).

In a push towards inorganic growth, Kumar, who is also the CEO and MD of Wipro Enterprises, had earlier this year shared WIN’s plans to grow its revenues to $1 billion by the end of current financial year ending March 2025 from an estimated $800 million in FY24.

Wipro hydraulics business specialises in designing and manufacturing custom-built hydraulic cylinders for applications in diverse segments such as construction & earthmoving, material & cargo handling, forestry, farm & agriculture, mining, and truck tipping solutions. Presently, it operates 14 manufacturing facilities globally.

Founded four decades ago in 1976, WIN started with manufacturing and engineering expertise in the hydraulics business and later expanded to industrial automation business now named as Wipro PARI (Precision Automation and Robotics India), Wipro Aerospace in precision manufacturing and landing gears, Wipro 3D, which does additive manufacturing in aerospace, space, defence, healthcare, and industrial solutions, and Wipro Water, providing wastewater treatment solutions for industries.