Switzerland, Zurich: ABB has signed an agreement to acquire Specialtrasfo S.p.A., an Italian manufacturer of specialised medium-voltage transformers, including converter and rectifier transformers for industrial applications.
The acquisition will support ABB’s Motion business area by adding specialised transformers to its existing motors and drives portfolio, further strengthening the company’s powertrain offering. According to ABB, the transaction is expected to close in Q3 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Specialtrasfo is a privately owned company founded in 1946 and headquartered in Agrate Brianza, in the Milan area. The company operates three manufacturing sites in northern Italy and employs around 130 people. In 2025, Specialtrasfo generated revenues of approximately $94 M (€80 M), with ABB accounting for around half of this through its integrated offering.
The company’s product portfolio includes specialised transformers for applications in energy, marine, metals, mining, industrial processing and offshore sectors. ABB said the acquisition will enhance its ability to provide integrated, high-performance solutions by combining high-power motors, drives and transformers in a single portfolio.
“ABB and Specialtrasfo’s decades-long commercial relationship is a testament of the trust ABB has in the technical expertise, proven quality and reliability of the transformers they produce,” said Juha Koskela, President of ABB’s Motion High Power division. “This strategic acquisition expands our offering and strengthens our supply chain resilience in high demand transformers, reinforcing ABB’s ability to provide reliable, integrated solutions.”
The move comes several years after ABB reshaped its position in the power grids sector. In 2018, the company announced the divestment of its Power Grids business to Hitachi, with Hitachi initially acquiring an 80.1 % stake in the business. ABB later completed the sale of its remaining 19.9 % equity stake in Hitachi Energy to Hitachi in 2022.
With the planned acquisition of Specialtrasfo, ABB is strengthening its transformer-related capabilities in a more focused industrial electrification segment. The company said the transaction will help improve competitiveness and supply chain resilience at a time of rising global electricity demand, driven by industrial electrification, data centers and AI.
Source: ABB
