♦  Alacatel-Lucent is reported to be planning to sell its German motor-making subsidiary Dunkermotoren for around €200m. According to the Bloomberg news service, the French networking giant could finalise the sale by the end of this year. Bonndorf-based Dunkermotoren, founded in 1950, has 630 employees and claims to be the world’s largest manufacturer of motors for sliding doors and window shutters.

♦  A family-owned Dutch business, SHV Alkmaar has made a bid for the industrial services provider Eriks, valuing it at about €518m. Eriks, which owns the former Wyko business in the UK, had sales worth €1.131bn in 2008. SHV’s other interests include the Makro cash-and-carry chain, oil and gas exploration and production, and heavy lifting and transport activities. 

♦  The global market for electric motors will be worth $39.1bn by 2015, according to a new forecast from US-based Global Industry Analysts. The Asia-Pacific market will spearhead the growth, led by China. Motor manufacturers will shift more production to low-cost Asian countries, GIA says, adding that the market for high-efficiency motors will grow faster than for standard machines.

♦  The Indian wind turbine manufacturer Suzlon Energy is reported to be considering selling its 61% stake in the Belgian gearbox-maker Hansen Transmissions, for around €1bn. Suzlon bought the stake for €465m in 2006. One potential purchaser is the Danish turbine manufacturer Vestas, which buys gearboxes from Hansen.

♦  Leroy Somer, the French motor manufacturer owned by Emerson, has formed a consortium with six other companies to provide drive systems for low-emission vehicles. LS will supply high-efficiency motors. Its partners are Michelin, Valeo, Leoni, GKN and Johnson Controls-Saft.

♦  Demand for AC, DC and servo drives for use by the European chemical industry will rise from $147m last year to $187m by 2015, says a new forecast from Frost & Sullivan.

♦  The EMEA market for pneumatic valves grew from €260m in 2005 to €290m last year, according to IMS Research. Demand for non-standard components grew by 3% over this period, compared to 2% for standard types.

♦  Deutsche Messe, the organiser of the Hannover Fair, is launching four industrial tradeshows to be held in Moscow from 28 September to 1 October, 2010. They will include Industrial Automation Russia and MDA Russia (based on the Motion, Drive and Automation event held every two years at Hannover).