Vacon

Vacon was a Finnish manufacturer of variable-speed AC drives for adjustable control of electric motors, and inverters for producing energy from renewable sources and was headquartered in Vaasa, Finland. Vacon stands for Vaasa Control Ltd.[2]

Vacon Plc
TypeJulkinen osakeyhtiö
Nasdaq Helsinki: VAC1V
IndustryIndustrial goods & services
FateAcquired by Danfoss
SuccessorDanfoss
Founded1993 (as Vaasa Control Ltd)
Headquarters
Vaasa
,
Finland
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Vesa Laisi (CEO), Panu Routila (Chairman of the Board)
ProductsVariable-speed AC drives
Revenue €403.0 million (2013)[1]
Number of employees
1,596 (2013)[1]
Divisions30 sales offices
Websitewww.vacon.com

Vacon had production and R&D (Research and development) facilities in Europe, Asia, and North America, sales offices in 30 countries, and sales representatives and service partners in nearly 90 countries.

The shares of Vacon Plc (VAC1V) are quoted on the main list of the Helsinki stock exchange (NASDAQ OMX Helsinki). In 2013, Vacon’s revenues amounted to EUR 403.0 million, and the company employed globally approximately 1,600 people.

Typically, electric motors are equipped with variable speed AC drives as they help optimize process control and save electrical energy. Vacon has estimated that in 2013 its products helped save approximately 55 TWh of energy. This corresponds to approximately 22 hours of the world's annual electrical energy production. Also, the amount of energy produced from renewable energy sources with Vacon's AC drives was reported to be approximately 22 TWh.[3]

In 2014, Danfoss purchased Vacon.[4]

Other

Visit from President Obama

On January 15, 2014, former US President Barack Obama visited Vacon’s R&D facility at the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. [5] Following a tour of the premises, he gave a speech to students at North Carolina State University where he mentioned how Vacon “is making these engines and these systems more efficient, saving businesses big bucks on energy costs, improving the environment. Those savings get passed on to customers, puts money in people’s pockets. And growing companies that need the products that Vacon makes, they’re benefiting enormously. So it’s a good-news story. But in a global economy, that company, just like every company in America, has to keep inventing and innovating in order to stay on the cutting edge. And that’s where all of you come in.”[6][7]

Stuxnet Virus

Vacon NX frequency converter drives, also known as variable-frequency drives, were one of the two types of converters targeted by the Stuxnet Virus at the Iranian enrichment facility in Natanz, Iran. The worm would search a PLC for the specific identification number, in this case 9500h, that is assigned to the Vacon converter. Once found, the worm would continue to execute. [8]


References
  1. Vacon’s Financial Statement Bulletin January-December 2013
  2. https://engineering-update.co.uk/2018/11/07/this-year-danfoss-drives-is-celebrating-two-outstanding-anniversaries-for-its-vlt-and-vacon-brands-its-50-years-since-the-danfoss-vlt-5-drive-was-launched-being-t/
  3. Vacon helped save 22 hours of global electricity production in 2013
  4. https://www.danfoss.com/en/about-danfoss/news/cf/vacon-to-become-part-of-danfoss-group/
  5. "President Obama to visit Vacon's R&D center in North Carolina". www.businesswire.com. 2014-01-15. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
  6. Remarks by the President on the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, The White House, 15 January 2014
  7. President Barack Obama visits Vacon
  8. Symantec security response dossier to Stuxnet
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