Westport Acquires Clean Energy’s Natural Gas Vehicle Business, BAF Technologies and ServoTech Engineering, to Expand Ford Product Portfolio and Dealership Coverage; Commits $5 Million to Co-Marketing Program with Clean Energy
PR Newswire
VANCOUVER, June 28, 2013
VANCOUVER, June 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Westport Innovations Inc. (TSX:WPT /
NASDAQ:WPRT), the global leader in natural gas engines, today announced
that it has acquired BAF Technologies, Inc. (BAF) and its subsidiary,
ServoTech Engineering, Inc. (ServoTech), subsidiaries of Clean Energy
Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ:CLNE) for $25 million in Westport stock. Westport
and Clean Energy also announced a $5 million joint marketing and sales
program.
Westport believes that the amalgamation will create the largest product
portfolio and largest market presence in the North American light duty
natural gas vehicle (NGV) space. Specifically, Westport secures its
position as Ford’s largest partner under the Qualified Vehicle Modifier
(QVM) program with over 10 products and approximately 150 Ford
authorized dealerships. The transaction allows both Westport and Clean
Energy to focus on the significant growth opportunities as natural gas
emerges as a global fuel for transportation.
“We welcome the BAF and ServoTech teams to Westport,” said Ian Scott,
Executive Vice President of Westport. “BAF has established a strong
portfolio of natural gas vehicle products and customers over the past
decade. With natural gas increasingly seen as a major transportation
fuel around the world, we believe the combination of these new teams’
market experience and Westport’s technologies, scalable manufacturing
processes and quality control systems will help create the type of
products needed to deliver an OEM-quality vehicle experience to our
customers.”
BAF supports clients with vehicle conversions through the Ford QVM
program and aftermarket conversion products, alternative fuel systems,
application engineering, service and warranty support. ServoTech offers
a total engineering solution from initial concept phase to prototype
hardware and final prove-out, including design and development of
electronic products, software development, automotive exhaust
simulation and testing, spark-ignition gasoline and diesel emissions
technology, and offers technical training and education in a variety of
subject areas.
Currently, Westport exclusively installs the natural gas Westport WiNG™
Power System on the Ford F-250 through F-550 series at its assembly
center in Louisville, KY. This acquisition increases Westport’s product
range with the Ford line to include transit, cargo shuttle and taxi
vehicles and dedicated natural gas vehicles for markets such as
California. BAF has been producing a broad list of natural gas vehicle
conversions for more than a decade and recently produced its 20,000th compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle conversion. Westport will continue
to install the Westport WiNG Power System and the increased volume of
orders expected through BAF will create economies of scale, and the BAF
network will allow more flexibility in producing speciality
configurations.
Transaction highlights include:
-
$25 million payable in shares of Westport’s common stock on closing at a
price of $30.62 based on a 10 day volume weighted average, subject to
adjustments
BAF & ServoTech highlights:
- Trailing 12 months revenue of $20.9 million to April 30, 2013
- Long list of Ford QVM products including but not limited to:
- Ford Transit Connect (EPA approved, CARB pending)
- Ford E-250/350 (EPA & CARB approved)
- Ford E-450/550 (EPA & CARB approved)
- Ford F-250/350 (EPA & CARB approved)
- Ford F-450/550/650 (EPA & CARB approved)
- Ford F-59 (EPA & CARB approved)
access to Ford engine controls. ServoTech also brings a substantial
technology portfolio around diesel emissions control, diesel dual-fuel
operation and other alternative fuels capabilities.
office
“We are extremely pleased with our original investment in BAF and the
growth it has achieved over the last five years,” said Andrew J.
Littlefair, President and CEO, Clean Energy. “This is a great
opportunity for Clean Energy to sharpen our focus on fuel solutions as
the market for NGV’s quickly builds momentum. Westport will deliver
great products, and we at Clean Energy will build the fuel
infrastructure to fuel the vehicles. Our new marketing partnership
expands our long-standing relationship and alliance as we worked
together over the past decade.”
Westport Enters New Marketing Agreement with Clean Energy
Westport has committed $5 million to a new co-marketing program aimed at
increasing the natural gas vehicle market, and will allow Westport to
provide purchase incentives for fleets, including fuel credits, and
includes a commitment from Clean Energy to purchase Westport products.
Highlights of the new marketing agreement include but are not limited
to:
-
$5 million payable in March 2014 as payment for co-marketing activities
by Clean Energy over the next two years -
Clean Energy will provide 750,000 GGEs (gasoline gallons equivalents) of
CNG, to be used by Westport as marketing and “bundling” incentives.
Fuel is useable anywhere in the Clean Energy network of CNG fueling
stations until December 2015. -
Clean Energy will provide support for Westport product sales and
marketing -
Westport and Clean Energy will collaborate on specific customer
situations, industry activities and joint policy positions -
Clean Energy will commit to fulfill at least 50% of its light and medium
duty natural gas commercial vehicle needs from Westport and BAF during
the term of the marketing agreement
Westport does not expect to change its revenue outlook for 2013 at this
time.
About Clean Energy Fuels Corp.
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq: CLNE) is the largest provider of
natural gas fuel for transportation in North America. We build and
operate compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG)
fueling stations; manufacture CNG and LNG equipment and technologies
for ourselves and other companies; and develop renewable natural gas
(RNG) production facilities. For more information, visit www.cleanenergyfuels.com
About Westport Innovations Inc.
Westport engineers the world’s most advanced natural gas engines and
vehicles. More than that, we are fundamentally changing the way the
world travels the roads, rails and seas. We work with original
equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide from design through to
production, creating products to meet the growing demand for vehicle
technology that will reduce both emissions and fuel costs. To learn
more about our business, visit westport.com, subscribe to our RSS feed, or follow us on Twitter @WestportDotCom.
Note: This document contains forward-looking statements about Westport’s
business, operations, technology development or the environment in
which it operates, which are based on Westport’s estimates, forecasts
and projections. These statements include specifically, statements
regarding the volume of orders expected through BAF, transaction
pricing and acquisition integration matters. These statements are not
guarantees of future performance, are based on a number of assumptions
and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are
difficult to predict, or are beyond Westport’s control including the
development of competing products and technologies, availability and
supply of natural gas, price and supply of gasoline, timing of
execution of agreements with distributors and other counterparties, and
other risk factors and assumptions that may affect our actual results,
performance or achievements. Consequently, readers should not place any
undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. In addition, these
forward-looking statements relate to the date on which they are made.
Westport disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise except as required by National Instrument
51-102. The contents of any website, RSS feed or Twitter account
referenced in this press release are not incorporated by reference
herein.
SOURCE Westport Innovations Inc.
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