JimPinto.com - Connections for Growth & Success™
No. 50 : July 3, 2001


Business commentary - no hidden agenda.
New attitudes, no platitudes.
Stay e-tuned....

Happy July 4 holiday, for Americans everywhere!
All you others - work, work, work !

Contents:

  • Rockwell Automation
    • Collins spins off
    • Eaton merger possibility
    • CEO Boondoggle: $ 300K Ryder-cup golf tour
  • Invensys in decline - Marshall's involvement
  • Honeywell lowers price - GE rejects offer - merger finally off
  • Book: Affluenza - all consuming epidemic
  • Charity - where does it begin - and end?
  • eFeedback :
    • Loss of culture in acquired companies that are jerked around
    • Manufacturing in a box
    • Stop saying e-everything

Rockwell Collins spin-off occurs : Automation decline continues

On June 29, 2001, approximately 183 million shares of common stock were distributed in a tax-free spin-off to Rockwell International shareholders on a one-for-one basis. These shares represent all the outstanding shares of Rockwell Collins common stock, and Rockwell International has no continuing ownership in its former wholly-owned subsidiary.

Rockwell International became Rockwell Automation, a stand-alone $4.3 billion company focused on industrial automation, continuing trading with the ticker symbol: ROK. Rockwell Collins, the aviation electronics and communications part of Rockwell, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange as a separate entity with the ticker symbol: COL. When trading opened on Monday 2 July 2001, both stocks remained about even at their new post-split pricing.

With sales of $4.3b, Rockwell Automation now has a market-cap of $2.7b; while Collins with revenue of $2.61b has a market-cap is $ 4.26b. Interesting split, showing relative valuations that the stock market places on Automation and Avionics.

Click Rockwell International becomes Rockwell Automation

Click Rockwell Collins begins trading on the NYSE

Don Davis continues as CEO of Rockwell Automation. Keith Nosbusch continues as president of the Control Systems operating unit of Rockwell Automation, including its Allen-Bradley, Rockwell Software, and Global Manufacturing Solutions brands. Joe Swann continues as president of the Power Systems operating unit and its Dodge and Reliance Electric brands. Rockwell Automation will also include Rockwell Electronic Commerce, which will continue to be led by Terry Murphy as president.

Rumors have been floating around recently that Eaton (ETN - sales $ 8b, market-cap $ 5b) is in talks with Rockwell Automation about a merger. Both companies have presence in Milwaukee and Cleveland, so it'd be a good fit, and a good "out" for Don Davis. Stay tuned...

A "deep throat" source from Milwaukee (ROK HQ) reported uncomfortably that $300,000 is being spent on a golf trip for the Chairman and family of "said corporation", together with other families and "guests" to attend the Ryder-cup golf tournament in the UK. After the recent major cutbacks and layoffs, this seemed like "an obscenity". But then, further probing elicited the response that "it was already budgeted for in last years plans" and "the money has already been spent". Hmmmm....

Over this past weekend, two senior people in Rockwell Automation UK quit to join ABB. Is this in response to the Ryder-cup fiasco? Perhaps.... We'd welcome comment from Don Davis, or someone (anyone) from Milwaukee.

Invensys in decline - Marshall's involvement

Allen Yurko spoke last week at Wonderware's trade show in Las Vegas. He actually talked at length about "Project Unity" and mentioned that the number of Invensys "data centers" would be reduced from several hundred down to 6, and ERP systems from 150 to 1.

Most people assume that the remaining data centers will be at Foxboro, the UK, and other places that are "politically plugged in" to the decision makers. If you're an Invensys-company IT person who isn't at one of the privileged sites, you've probably already been told of your impending transfer to IBM. Of course, this assumes that Project Unity continues to its completion. When Yurko departs, who knows what the new CEO will do. The current "supporters" will quickly change their tune.

Lord Colin Marshall, Invensys Chairman of the Board, shares a lot of blame for the decline of Invensys. Marshall, who actually precipitated the Siebe purchase of BTR, openly boasted at the time that that his primary motivation was xenophobic (dislike of foreigners) and anglocentric. Interestingly enough, Marshall is now trying to point the finger at Allen Yurko and is Yurko's biggest enemy.

The BTR decision alone has cost Siebe billions in market cap. BTR has consumed 150% of the energy and efforts of Yurko's management team that should have been fixing what they had vs. buying and restructuring BTRs really lousy assets.

Some institutional investors have clamored for Marshall's resignation. The London Observer reported recently that Marshall is preventing the return of shareholder confidence. Marshall sits on lots of boards (10 or so, including British Airways) most of which are in not-too-good shape. He is rather arrogant, but the pressure must be getting through.

Some UK Invensys people have actually said, and I quote: "It is the Chairman's (Lord Marshall's) job to oust the CEO when needed". Ouch#@!*% Sources report that Marshall has already instructed recruiters to look for a replacement.

My own advice to Allen Yurko (which I know he doesn't need): "Watch your back!"

Click Invensys in Decline - read the whole story

Click Invensys buys Baan - background and follow-on impact

GE & Honeywell merger finally off

This past week, in a last-minute effort to overcome antitrust concerns and close the deal, Honeywell offered to cut $1.8 billion off its purchase price to compensate GE for divestitures. Honeywell said it would reduce the stock exchange-ratio on the deal to 1.01 shares of GE for each Honeywell share - down from the previous ratio of 1.055 shares of GE.

Shortly after the Honeywell offer, GE Chairman Jack Welch strongly rejected the proposal, saying that the plan "makes no sense" for GE shareholders.

Shares of Honeywell closed down $3.21, or 8.4 percent, to $34.99. Honeywell stock had declined to a session low of $33. Trading in Honeywell spiked, reaching nearly 52 million shares versus average daily volume of about 8 million, as arbitrageurs unwound trading positions. On the other hand, GE shares edged up 13 cents to $49 on above-average volume of more than 50 million shares.

Finally, on Tuesday morning (July 3, 2001) the European Commission formally rejected the merger, closing the case.

What next? CEO Michael Bonsignore will be kicked out by the Honeywell board; United Technologies will come back with an offer, though not as high as their previous bid; others (possibly Emerson, Siemens, Tyco) will make bids, to keep the pieces they want and divest the remainder.

Click Honeywell offers to cuts purchase price

Click Welch rejects Honeywell offer

Click EC Rejects the GE/Honeywell deal

Click Chronology - Key events in GE bid for Honeywell

TGIF Humor
After the deal with GE fell through, it has been reported that Honeywell may merge with Fairchild Corp. The new company will be called Fairwell Honeychild.

Another possibility: Honeywell and Rockwell Automation - new name: Honeyrock.

Book : Affluenza - the all-consuming epidemic

This new book, by John deGraaf, David Wann and Thomas Naylor, is an eye-opening, soul-prodding look at the excess of affluent western societies.

If you are uncomfortable about your own ruthless consumption or sigh at the hurried pace of your own life, you may already be ill with "affluenza". This is something akin to "a painful, contagious, socially-transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more." It's a powerful virus running rampant in our society, infecting our souls, affecting our wallets and financial well-being, and threatening to destroy not only the environment but also our families and communities.

Good book - stop, buy one and read it!

Click Affluenza : the all-consuming epidemic

Charity - where does it begin? and end?

Speaking of affluence, by world standards, most of the people reading these webzine columns are wealthy. So, given that we have more than most, how much should we give as charity? And is our giving obligation, goodwill or guilt?

You might enjoy my new article on the subject of Charity, just published in the July 2001 issue of *spark-on-line*. You might also like several other items in this popular, monthly webzine.

Click Charity - where does it begin, and end?

Click *spark-online* - Issue 20 - July 2001

eFeedback

An Invensys cluetrain correspondent wrote:

    "Your latest article about Yurko is circulating around here at light speed. Sounds like you were a fly on the wall at the last board meeting!

    "Yes, it does take a different type of talent to build a company over just taking it apart to maximize profits. I believe when a corporate giant just buys companies, does not really know the industry, and has not grown with it, the acquired companies are disadvantaged - especially when they try to be so active. A less active parent company role would have saved several good companies and likely resulted in better long and short-term sales growth performance.

    "I know you are aware that employee morale is terrible - the worst I have ever seen in my 11 years. It is widely believed that Invensys will trash us to save themselves."

Regarding mobile mini-plants, Gerry Shand from Canada, [GWShand@celanese.com] commented:

    "While manufacturing in a box is not a new concept (we build skids like this in Alberta all the time for the petrochemical industry), I can see it being applied in some pretty traditional industries like agriculture. My viewpoint: in order for the family farm to survive they will need to find a way to add value to their products. They can do this by in-situ manufacturing at the farm thereby cutting out as many middlemen as possible and making enough profit to survive and even prosper. I have come up with some agriculture automation designs and concepts that would appeal to small and medium farming operations. If you know of anyone who is interested, please have them drop me a line."

Dean Reimer [dreimer@westroc.com] sent this suggestion:

    "Jim, I recently subscribed to your e-newsletter after linking to it from the A-List. I enjoy reading it, and appreciate some of the great links to fascinating material that I might otherwise never come across.

    I do have one complaint however: e-please e-stop e-prefacing e-everything! e-Sincerely, Dean."

JimPinto response:

    "Dean, thanks for the e-fee - uh, feedback! I thought I was being cute.... I suppose over-use reduces the cuteness. I'll curb."

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