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21 Aug 25. Wescom Defence, a trusted provider of pyrotechnics, energetics and proven products and systems to global defence forces, has unveiled a new capability model delivering integrated, mission-ready solutions across international markets. BCB International has now been integrated into Wescom’s operations, becoming a capability-aligned provider of soldier survivability and sustainment solutions under the Wescom brand. This strengthens Wescom’s presence and enhances its ability to deliver its mission critical products and associated infrastructure on a much bigger scale.
“This is a pivotal evolution for BCB International, from a respected supplier to a true capability-aligned partner supporting operational readiness and long-term sustainment,” said David Griffiths, VP Defence Sales. “It reflects our commitment to delivering scalable solutions shaped around optimising war fighter effectiveness and mission success, and not just products.”
The BCB portfolio is now structured around four core capability pillars, forming the foundation of Wescom’s survivability and sustainability enablers:
- Prime Contracting Support – Renowned merchant suppliers of critical items consumed in Defence
- Operational Infrastructure Solutions
- Soldier survivability & Sustainability
- Multispectral Camouflage (ATMIS)
The integration links BCB’s Cardiff facility with a wider support network, enabling scalable production, reliable and faster delivery on a global basis. Our proven methodology embraces innovation, supports joint development together with our supply chain partners to deliver integrated and optimised systems. Our agile, flexible procurement and logistics expertise being totally aligned with emerging defence requirements. BCB’s capabilities complement and expand Wescom Group’s legacy medical offering. Together with ANP Pharma, the group supplies critical field medical components, trauma kits and IFAKs (Individual First Aid Kits) and proprietary dressings. BCB is constantly working to modernise military medical response via innovation. These form part of a broader survivability solution tailored to modern armed forces. This collaboration provides rapid and reliable deployment under combat conditions, whenever and wherever needed. BCB also continues to support legacy markets, including marine and defence survival kits and humanitarian kit outs. Operating in over 50 countries, BCB benefits from Wescom’s investment in R&D, compliance and manufacturing. This reinforces Wescom’s commitment to reliable survivability solutions across land, sea and air domains. By combining BCB’s innovation with Wescom’s expertise in pyrotechnics, CWA and explosive detection, the group is positioned to support major defence programmes with complete mission-focused solutions.
Wescom’s capability model will be showcased at DSEI 2025 on Stand N5-150.
This milestone supports Wescom Defence’s vision to become a multi-domain partner of choice, delivering scalable, integrated capability solutions to meet operational demands of NATO and partner forces worldwide.
About Wescom Defence
Wescom Defence, part of Wescom Group, is a leading global supplier of pyrotechnics and Class 1.1-1.4 energetics. With over 100 years of expertise, we provide innovative, reliable military pyrotechnics and chemical detection systems, serving defence industries worldwide. Operating from the UK, Germany, Australia and Spain, we support armed forces worldwide through long-term partnerships and delivering high-quality solutions trusted for decades.
19 Aug 25. Amphenol agrees to acquire Trexon for $1bn. Post closure, Trexon will be integrated into Amphenol’s Harsh Environment Solutions segment. Amphenol has agreed to acquire Trexon, an interconnect solutions maker for mission critical applications, from Audax Private Equity for around $1bn in cash. Trexon, with its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, manufactures cables, cable assemblies, and connectors. These products are used across various sectors including defence and space. The company, with facilities in the US and UK, employs approximately 1,100 staff. It anticipates 2025 sales of nearly $290m alongside earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) margin of 26%.
Amphenol president and CEO R Adam Norwitt said: “Trexon’s unique portfolio of high-reliability cable assembly products will be highly complementary to our existing offerings in the defence market. We look forward to working in partnership with Trexon’s experienced management team to deliver additional high-technology solutions to our customers post closing.”
Audax managed the creation of the Trexon platform in 2021 by consolidating various interconnect businesses into one unified corporate entity. Audax has been active in divesting its holdings within its Industrial Services & Technologies specialisation, having announced or completed four exits over the past 12 months. This includes the sale of EIS, Liquid Environmental Solutions, and Thermogenics. Since 1 August 2024, Audax has agreed upon or finalised 11 exits under its Flagship and Origins investment strategies.
Trexon chief executive officer Mark Twaalfhoven said: “This sale marks the culmination of significant growth and transformation for Trexon under Audax, including investments in our team and facilities, strategic efforts to focus on our core competencies, and the expansion of our product and capability set organically and through acquisition.”
The completion of Amphenol’s acquisition of Trexon is contingent upon regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. The deal is anticipated to be finalised in the fourth quarter of 2025. Post closure, the acquisition will be integrated into Amphenol’s Harsh Environment Solutions segment. William Blair & Company and Guggenheim Securities served as financial advisors to the sellers in the transaction. Kirkland & Ellis along with Fredrikson & Byron provided legal counsel, stated Audax. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
19 Aug 25. Saab Acquires Swedish Company Deform. Saab and Deform AB in Degerfors, Sweden, are deepening their cooperation by Saab becoming the new owner of Deform. The acquisition strengthens the security of supply for the Swedish defence industry and ensures continued close cooperation between the two companies.
Deform has a long and close relationship with Saab as a supplier of speciality parts for Saab’s submarine production and is an important part of Kockums’ supply chain.
“Deform has a unique expertise in the shaping of tough and demanding materials. They supply, among other things, to Saab’s ongoing production of the Blekinge-class submarines. We see it as a winning solution for both Kockums and Deform to secure the supply chain and jointly develop more businesses by making Deform part of the Saab family,” says Mats Wicksell, head of Saab’s business area Kockums.
Market forecasts by Type, Region, Propulsion, and Subsystem. Country Analysis, Market and Technology Overview, Opportunities and Impact Analysis, and Leading Company Profiles
“I am proud and happy that Deform is now part of Saab. This means a continued strong and stable future for our people and our business, where we continue to deliver world-class advanced products to our customers. We will keep the name Deform and our operations will continue in Degerfors, just as before,” says Deform’s CEO Ulrika Jonsson.
Saab’s takeover means continued strong ownership for Deform and long-term stability for its operations, which ensures continued security of supply for Saab and the Swedish defence industry. (Source: ASD Network)
19 Aug 25. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems and cutting-edge aerospace technologies, today announced the acquisition of key assets, including a portfolio of patents and other intellectual property, from Achates Power, Inc., a San Diego-based innovator in advanced engine technology. The acquisition strengthens GA-ASI’s capabilities in high-performance propulsion systems and underscores GA-ASI’s commitment to advancing propulsion technologies for its line of unmanned aircraft systems that enhance the performance and sustainability of its aerospace systems.
“We are excited to incorporate Achates Power’s opposed-piston engine technology into GA-ASI’s portfolio,” said David Alexander, President of GA-ASI. “Their advancements in green technology emission reduction, fuel efficiency and power density align perfectly with our mission to deliver innovative solutions for airborne platforms.”
Achates Power has long been recognized for its groundbreaking work in developing best-in-class low-emission, fuel-efficient, and high-power-density engines.
“Achates Power’s engine designs deliver exceptional value for applications requiring high efficiency and power density, particularly in environments with strict emissions regulations,” said Dave Crompton, CEO of Achates Power. “We are proud that our technology will continue to thrive under GA-ASI, a company renowned for its technical excellence and diverse expertise.”
18 Aug 25. IFS, the leading provider of Industrial AI software, today announced the acquisition of 7bridges, an AI-powered supply chain management solution provider. The move strengthens IFS’s position as the Industrial AI leader by expanding its capabilities in logistics and transportation optimisation. 7bridges streamlines supply chains using advanced AI simulation and analytics to automate and optimise logistics networks. It has been purpose-built for industrial use cases, combining rapid, low-cost data capture, a high-quality semantic data layer, and powerful AI to solve complex supply chain optimisation challenges. IFS sees a significant opportunity to scale 7bridges capabilities into the asset and service-centric industries it serves, with strong demand coming from the manufacturing and aerospace & defence sectors. In addition, the expertise and innovation inherent in the 7bridges team and technology will enable IFS to accelerate the development of next-generation AI enabled supply chain solutions within IFS Cloud, while also strengthening IFS simulation and optimisation capabilities across multi-sector applications. This acquisition builds on IFS’s leadership in Industrial AI, including the recent acquisition of agentic AI innovator TheLoops, and the launch of Nexus Black, the IFS AI innovation accelerator. Together, these moves underscore IFS’s commitment to delivering AI-driven innovation that powers growth, resilience, and sustainability in the world’s most essential industries.
Mark Moffat, CEO of IFS, said: “We’re proud to lead the market in Industrial AI and continue to invest in technologies that differentiate our offering. 7bridges’ unique capabilities in AI-powered supply chain optimisation are a strong complement to our existing strengths and will strongly resonate with our asset intensive customers. We’re excited to welcome their talented team of experts to IFS.”
Market leading manufacturers, distributors, and transport providers use 7bridges to capture and make sense of critical logistics data from any source and in any form, to optimise their supply chains continuously in response to planned and disruptive changes. This allows them to realise extra revenue, reduce transport costs by an average of 8%, and automate 90% of the data entry and data management associated with logistics.
Operating in a rapidly growing market shaped by increasing cost pressures, global supply disruptions, and decarbonisation demands, 7bridges has already demonstrated strong traction in logistics optimisation. Its simulation engine enhances both tactical and operational decision-making across industries.
Philip Ashton, CEO of 7bridges, added: “Joining IFS allows us to accelerate our mission of transforming global supply chains through AI. With IFS’s reach and resources, we’ll bring our solution to new industries and geographies, delivering measurable impact for customers worldwide.”
18 Aug 25. As part of SKF’s strategic focus on its core aerospace areas and exit of non-strategic business lines, the Group has signed an agreement to divest its precision elastomeric device (PED) operation in Elgin, Illinois, USA. Additionally, with the completed divestment of the Hanover operation, announced on 14 April 2025, SKF is expected to have successfully divested both non-core businesses identified in its aerospace strategic review. The Elgin PED operation represents 2024 annual sales of approximately SEK 260 m. It is divested to Carco PRP Group for a total estimated enterprise value of USD 70 m, corresponding to approximately SEK 700 m.
“The Hanover and Elgin divestments are examples of our ongoing efforts to execute on our strategy and manage our portfolio to accelerate profitable growth. With this agreement, Elgin will be in a good position to develop its business even further, while we can focus on driving innovation and growth in our remaining core aerospace business,” says Thomas Fröst, President, Independent and Emerging Business.
SKF will maintain its focus on core aerospace segments related to aeroengine and aerostructure bearing offerings, which represent approximately SEK 6 bn in annual sales. These areas will be further strengthened through increased investments aimed at advancing digitalization, automation, and further modernizing the Group’s factories. The Elgin PED divestment is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2025, subject to authorities’ approval. (Source: PR Newswire)
18 Aug 25. VVDN Technologies, a global provider of software, product engineering and electronics manufacturing services & solutions, today announced the acquisition of GGS Engineering Services, a leading engineering solutions company specializing in offering enhanced ER&D services for the Automotive, MedTech and Aerospace industries. With this acquisition, VVDN has onboarded engineers with two decades of experience in Mechanical Design, Analysis, Simulation, Virtual Manufacturing and Technical Publications.
The key benefits of this acquisition for OEMs include:
- Innovative Product Development with Accelerated Time-to-Market.
- Value Added Engineering for Cost Optimization.
- Scalable Engineering Talent Solutions.
The integration of GGS Engineering’s mechanical and electrical expertise with VVDN’s embedded systems and manufacturing prowess creates a unique vertically integrated solution for OEMs across key industries such as:
- Automotive: GGS enables OEMs to create innovative designs that meet modern consumer expectations. VVDN now will be addressing the sector’s rapidly evolving needs for cabin designs, vehicle electrification, NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) refinement, and cutting-edge styling and wire harness.
- MedTech: VVDN will be serving MedTech customers with added portfolio by supporting them in the development of customized, precise, and efficient medical devices, implants, and surgical tools
- Aerospace: Combined with GGS experience in CAD/CAM skillset, VVDN will be able to support OEMs and Tier 1s to design and manufacture complex aircraft components with precision and efficiency.
Together, VVDN & GGS set the stage for smarter machines, faster development, and stronger competitive advantages across industries. The combined entity will operate under the VVDN umbrella, with GGS’ leadership and founding teams continuing to play a pivotal role in the business.
Puneet Agarwal, CEO – VVDN Technologies: “We are delighted to welcome GGS Engineering Services into the VVDN family. Their proven excellence in mechanical engineering and design significantly enhances our value proposition to global clients. Our strengthened expertise now allows us to deliver comprehensive, cost-optimized product development for the automotive, medical, and aerospace industries—positioning VVDN to expand its footprint in automotive ER&D space. We look forward to working together to deliver accelerated innovation and end-to-end engineering leadership.”
This acquisition is a crucial step in VVDN’s growth strategy, enabling the company to aggressively penetrate the multi-bn-dollar global ER&D market and unlock new revenue opportunities across high-growth verticals. (Source: PR Newswire)
18 Aug 25. BATM Advanced Communications Limited (“BATM” or “the Group” Interim Results BATM (LSE: BVC; TASE: BVC), a global provider of advanced network infrastructure, cybersecurity and diagnostic technologies, announces its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2025. Cash and short-term investments at 30 June 2025 were $27.0m (31 December 2024: $31.6m) * Results for the Group’s continuing operations. See note 4 to the consolidated financial statements for details on the discontinued operations **Adjusted to exclude amortisation of intangible assets, share-based payments and exceptional expenses related to corporate activity Operational Summary
- Strong H1 2025 performance, in line with management’s expectations
o Further progress on the execution of the strategy, including the sale of three non-core businesses
o Strategic actions implemented in 2024 are delivering results in core divisions
BATM Networks
- BATM Networks returned to growth with an increase in revenue from both carrier ethernet and Edgility
- Four new carrier ethernet products were launched in the X-series portfolio, which are being well received by the market, including an order from a Tier 1 communication service provider in Mexico
- New channel partners were onboarded in all target markets globally for the resale of the Group’s carrier ethernet products and a customer partner portal was launched
- Edgility was selected by Telebras, a leading Brazilian telecommunications company, with a proof of concept currently underway with an end customer BATM Cyber
- Significant milestone achieved with the delivery of the first units of a customised version of the Group’s encryption platform for the commercial market
- Sustained delivery of orders for the Group’s long-standing government customer, including the receipt of a new $1.5m order to develop advanced cyber capabilities, which was subsequently increased to amount to $2.1m by period end
BATM Diagnostics
- Achieved an increase in sales of proprietary and third-party diagnostic products following the successful rollout of the new strategy to prioritise reagent sales
- Entered the Italian market with MDXlab and won several projects, with a number of these including multi-year reagent and consumable agreements Commenting on the results, Moti Nagar, Chief Executive Officer of BATM, said: “This has been an excellent six months of progress towards our strategic goals. The action that we took last year is beginning to deliver results, with a return to growth in BATM Networks and for our proprietary products in BATM Diagnostics as well as an improvement in gross margin in all of our core divisions. We achieved a major milestone in BATM Cyber with the delivery of our first encryption platform for the commercial markets. At the same time, we continued to execute on our strategy to become a more focused business with the sale of three non-core activities during the period. Accordingly, we exited the first half of 2025 in a much stronger position than when we entered. With positive momentum having continued into the second half, we are on track to deliver year-on-year growth for the full year.”
18 Aug 25. BATM starts to deliver on new strategic focus. The technology group’s change should drive a step change in profits and a re-rating.
- Flat first-half revenue of $60m
- Underlying cash profit up from $4.4m to $4.7m
- Adjusted operating profit edges up to $2.3m
First-half results from technology group BATM Advanced Communications (BVC:20.3p) mask the underlying progress the board has been making to restructure non-core activities and prioritise its core cyber security, network solutions and diagnostics businesses.
For instance, the cyber division moved from break-even in the first half of 2023 to a cash profit of $2.6m on a fivefold rise in revenue to $8.3mn as it delivered on a strong backlog of orders. The business continues to win new contracts, too, including one worth $2.3m from a longstanding government defence department for a next-generation encryption solution.
However, the most significant development was the signing of a strategic partnership and cooperation agreement with a global technology, engineering and defence group to deliver BATM’s advanced cyber security solution to commercial markets. The partner generates annual revenue of more than $10bn and serves customers in 100-plus countries across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. House broker Shore Capital believes that “it sets the scene on a new wave of growth for cyber activities commencing in 2025”.
Although the group’s networking division reported a first-half cash loss of $0.9mn on revenue of $6m, this reflected the investment in BATM’s high-margin edge computing and network function virtualisation software product suite, Edgility. Excluding this activity, the division would have been profitable.
Bearing this in mind, management expects that “a number of proof of concepts and trials with potential customers will come to a successful conclusion in the second half.” Post the half-year end, BATM became an Amazon Web Services (AWS) qualified software partner solution for AWS IoT Greengrass, an open-source edge runtime and cloud service, so is well placed to expand the business into the technology giant’s huge customer base.
In addition, the directors anticipate receiving new orders for the unit’s carrier ethernet products as customers and distributors commence restocking as inventory built up during the Covid-19 pandemic starts to dissipate. As a result, guidance is for a much improved second-half performance from the networking division.
New products set to drive growth in Diagnostics
Although the group’s diagnostics division delivered 7 per cent higher revenue of $17m, its cash profit of $1.2m was unchanged due to a higher mix of lower-margin instrument hardware sales. However, the expansion of the customer base will drive sales of associated reagents that are higher margin. Moreover, the unit is now generating revenue from its new MDXlab molecular diagnostics instrument. Based on the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, it offers laboratories a compact single effective solution that undertakes the different steps within the PCR process. In the coming months, BATM also expects to launch a diagnostic instrument that automates the manual library preparation process for an advanced technology used for DNA and RNA sequencing and variant/mutation detection.
Forecasts point to a step change in profit
Importantly, the directors are maintaining full-year guidance in line with Shore Capital’s estimates. Analysts expect adjusted pre-tax profit to increase from $1.5m to $2.8m on 16 per cent higher revenue of $143m. Furthermore, the operational leverage of the business underpins a step change in profitability in the 2025 financial year, assuming BATM can hit its 10 per cent revenue growth target. On this basis, analysts forecast a rise in 2025 pre-tax profit from $2.8m to $6.5mn to drive up earnings per share (EPS) by 167 per cent to 0.8¢. There is scope for earnings-accretive acquisitions, too, as the board looks to deploy net cash of $27.6m (5p) and recycle likely proceeds from non-core disposals. If the board can achieve next year’s estimates, then the shares are likely to re-rate. That’s because BATM is currently valued at book value parity and on a modest multiple of 6.5 times 2025 cash profit estimates of $13.4m to enterprise valuation of $87m. Hold. (Source: Investors Chronicle)
14 Aug 25. Thyssenkrupp posts 9% Q3 sales decline. The company anticipates a sales decline between 7% and 5% in FY24/25 compared to the previous guidance of 3% to 0%. Germany’s Thyssenkrupp has cut its 2024/2025 profit and revenue guidance as the group posted 9% sales decline to €8.2bn ($9.5bn) in the third quarter (Q3) due to lower prices and demand. The company now anticipates a full year sales decline between 7% and 5% compared to the previous forecast of 3% to 0%. In the third quarter, the group reported a significant increase in order intake, which rose to €10.1bn despite the overall downturn in sales. This surge was mainly driven by the company’s Marine Systems segment, which secured an order for two additional submarines as part of an extended contract with Singapore. Additionally, the segment secured one of its largest-ever service orders for maintenance of six submarines belonging to the German Navy. Thyssenkrupp managed to keep its adjusted EBIT stable, with a slight increase to €155m from the previous year’s €149m. This improvement was largely due to significantly better earnings at Decarbon Technologies. However, the company’s net loss widened to €255m in Q3, from a net loss of €33m in the same period last year. The net loss was impacted by a one-time tax effect of approximately €135m related to preparations for the planned spin-off of Marine Systems.
Thyssenkrupp CEO Miguel López said: “The past quarter was characterised by enormous macroeconomic uncertainty. We are very much feeling the weak market environment in key customer industries such as the automotive, engineering and construction industries. Nevertheless, we have been able to counteract these effects with APEX and other rigorous cost-cutting measures and keep earnings stable.”
Recently, Thyssenkrupp’s shareholders approved the spin-off of the conglomerate’s marine business, TKMS, paving the way for it to become an independent entity in the maritime defence market with its own public listing.
“We are aiming for a stock market listing of our marine business before the end of this calendar year. With the new collective restructuring agreement, we are establishing the basis for a successful future for Steel Europe. In the other segments too, we are working purposefully on the new future target model,” Miguel López added. (Source: naval-technology.com)
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SPX CommTech, part of SPX Technologies Inc, innovates specialised technologies within the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum to ensure a smarter, more secure future for all. Formed by TCI and ECS, SPX CommTech’s Battlespace portfolio enables defence and security teams to detect, defeat and exploit RF signals to enhance communications intelligence (COMINT) and counter unmanned aerial systems (Counter-UAS). Additionally, its Tactical Data Link portfolio allows intelligence gathering agencies, special forces, emergency response, and security teams to securely and reliably transfer video and data between enabled-aircraft and ground teams over long distances for airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR).
For more information visit www.tcibr.com and www.enterprisecontrol.co.uk
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