Eaton’s recent growth spurt: more benefits for partners

Apr 13, 2021

Eaton is expanding! As part of our ongoing commitment to being a fully integrated provider for our various channel partners, we’ve been growing both inward and outward – evident by our recent acquisition of Tripp Lite and the internal merging of our Wright Line and B-Line CommData business units.

Stronger presence through acquisition

By now you’ve likely heard about Eaton’s procurement of Tripp Lite last month, a move that will create numerous opportunities for our valued partners. In unifying the two companies’ complementary product lines, the channel community will gain access to a maximized portfolio of solutions. With Eaton traditionally more focused on the enterprise market and Tripp Lite more concentrated on small and medium businesses, the merging of the two companies establishes an even stronger presence in the channel and provides partners with an extensive portfolio that goes far beyond traditional power products.

As a leading supplier for the data center, industrial, medical and communications markets, Tripp Lite’s broad offering includes single-phase uninterruptible power systems (UPSs), rack power distribution units, surge protectors and enclosures. In addition to these core power products, the company’s lineup also features KVMs, connectivity, chargers, charging stations and other accessories. The combination of the two leading brands will create a large, global distributed power infrastructure business while significantly increasing Eaton’s IT channel position to become a solid No. 2 in the market. In addition to Tripp Lite’s product portfolio, we are also excited to welcome more than 500 new team members to Eaton who will share their perspectives with us.

While Eaton has extensive experience with acquisitions, we understand that every integration incorporates its own unique qualities and must be managed properly. It is too early to discuss integration plans in detail, but you can rest assured that we are working diligently behind the scenes, taking the time to ensure the optimal success of this exciting new venture. Although Tripp Lite is now part of Eaton, our expected integration process could take upwards of two years to complete.

Strength through consolidation

Another move that will make it easier and faster for partners to leverage the synergies of multiple product lines is the incorporation of Eaton’s Wright Line and B-Line CommData businesses into our division. As Eaton continues to grow its distributed IT business and focus on edge computing, the solutions offered by these two Eaton businesses – rack and cable management and data center containment – align well with our broader portfolio and growth strategy. The transition, already underway, is expected to be finalized during the second quarter of 2021.

Strengthening your competitive edge

Although many of the details surrounding these two ventures are still to come, we can tell you this much: both promise to deliver exciting advantages for our partners. The alignment will make Eaton easier to work with, providing more opportunity for interaction, better support, fewer touch points and of course, access to additional solutions to meet our partners’ ever-changing needs. Rather than our partners having to connect with multiple businesses, Eaton has taken steps to become even more of a one-stop-shop for the channel with a key focus on ease of business.

Read more about Eaton's aquisition of Tripp Lite and how it will expand our presence in the power quality business.

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