Important Update for Friends, Family and Partners from Frank Murphy III

Published on Nov 17, 2016

As many of you know, Enovation Controls signed an agreement and announced last Monday, November 7th, that Sun Hydraulics Corporation was acquiring the Power Controls (PC) and Vehicle Technologies (VT) lines of business from us. In this process, they also acquired the Enovation Controls and Murphy brand names as well. Sun Hydraulics will maintain Enovation Controls as a separate standalone company. They have immense respect for the success and growth of Enovation Controls and the Murphy brand.

Kennon Guglielmo and Jinger McPeak will be the Co-General Managers of this new standalone unit of Sun called Enovation Controls.  Several other of the current senior managers will remain in place under their leadership. We all, including Sun senior management, feel this structure will ensure they will remain largely the same business units we have built them up to be and they will continue to thrive on a solid growth trajectory. The acquired company will consist of approximately 300 employees located around the globe in the United States, England, Germany, India and China.

Closing of the transaction is expected to be in the first week of December, and Kennon and I will continue post-close as Co-CEOs of the Natural Gas Production Controls (NGPC) business that serves the gas compression market and the Engine Controls and Fuel Systems (ECFS) business. The NGPC business will go to market under a new name – FW Murphy Production Controls, and ECFS will go to market under the familiar EControls name.

The NGPC and ECFS businesses we are keeping will be held under a holding company called Genisys Controls, LLC. However, FW Murphy Production Controls and EControls will be the primary entity names promoted externally in the marketplace.  There will be strong continuity in Genisys with most of the senior leadership remaining unchanged.  We are truly excited about the future of Genisys, and we will continue to grow as a strong and profitable company. We will also continue to take market share and resume our revenue and profit trajectory while continuing to invest in new products and platforms. Stewardship has always been very important to, and deeply rooted in both the Murphy and Guglielmo families. All of us believe this is the right thing to do for the long-term success of the company.

Sun is a great catalyst and home for these two business units and we are all excited to watch them continue to thrive. The following are some excerpts from Sun’s press release including a couple of quotes from their CEO, Wolfgang Dangel and Co-CEO of Enovation Controls, Frank Murphy:

Sun Hydraulics Agrees to Acquire Enovation Controls, a Leader in Electronic Control, Display and Instrumentation Solutions.

Acquisition Positions Sun in New Markets, Expands Opportunities for Growth and Customer Reach.

“With this acquisition, Sun acts on its commitment to our customers and shareholders. Our strategic focus is on innovation and complete system solutions. Enovation Controls’ premium products support this focus and are an excellent fit with the Sun brand,” said Wolfgang Dangel, Sun’s President and CEO.  “The PC and VT businesses are highly successful. They operate in some of the same industries Sun currently serves, while providing diversification opportunities in markets such as marine, power systems and recreational vehicles. Enovation Controls’ products will complement Sun’s current offerings in mobile and industrial applications as hydraulic systems increasingly incorporate electronics.”

“Enovation Controls, co-founded by Frank Murphy III and Kennon Guglielmo, is among the fastest growing and most innovative electronic control and display companies globally,” continued Dangel. “The acquisition of the PC and VT business lines provides Sun attractive new brands with proven appeal, including the highly respected Murphy® brand, while infusing Sun with fresh ideas and expertise.”

“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Enovation Controls,” said Murphy, co-founder. “We have a deep respect for Sun Hydraulics.  It is clear they share our commitment to addressing the needs of customers who build systems requiring both superior performance and reliability while incorporating cutting-edge technology. We are proud of the innovative company our team has built, and we are confident Sun will continue our strong tradition of stewardship given its reputation for leadership, global presence and resources.”

Sun will maintain Enovation Controls as a separate standalone company, with Kennon Guglielmo remaining involved on the leadership team. The PC business will continue to provide electronic control systems, displays and customized instrumentation panels for power units, generator sets, off-highway equipment, and engine and pump instrumentation. The company’s VT business will continue to provide electronic controls and infotainment solutions, solving complex problems in the recreational and off-highway vehicle and marine markets. The acquired company will consist of approximately 300 employees located around the globe in the United States, England, Germany, India and China. Enovation Controls’ two other lines of business, Natural Gas Production Controls and Engine Controls and Fuel Systems, will operate as a newly formed company not owned by Sun.

About Sun

Sun Hydraulics is a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance screw-in hydraulic cartridge valves, manifolds and integrated package solutions for worldwide industrial and mobile markets. For more information about Sun, please visit our website at www.sunhydraulics.com.

About Enovation Controls

Enovation Controls, LLC is a leading global provider of sophisticated digital control systems for gaseous fuel engines and engine-driven equipment focused on the vehicle and energy markets. The company combines the wide-ranging control and display capabilities of the Murphy® brand with the extensive engine control expertise of the EControls® brand. As a leader in the natural gas market, Enovation Controls’ develops systems-based solutions that are high technology, mission-critical systems utilized in many markets including: commercial vehicles, natural gas compression and liquids, off-highway, material handling, agriculture and both recreational and commercial marine. With a global installed base of over one million engine control systems, their brands are recognized for providing innovative, ruggedized, integrated turnkey solutions that combine proprietary software platforms and customized hardware.