ABB has announced an agreement to acquire IPEC, a UK-based technology company specializing in electrical diagnostics, with the transaction expected to close in the first quarter of 2026. ABB reports that IPEC’s advanced monitoring systems use artificial intelligence and analytics to provide round-the-clock monitoring of critical electrical infrastructure and predictive failure analysis. The company identifies the acquisition as a step to expand its Electrification Service portfolio and strengthen operational resilience in sectors such as data centers, healthcare, utilities, and manufacturing. Financial terms were not disclosed.
IPEC is known for partial discharge detection, a technique aimed at identifying early signs of insulation failure which ABB claims is responsible for over 80 percent of equipment breakdowns leading to unexpected outages. IPEC’s flagship monitoring system can track up to 128 connection points simultaneously, and its proprietary DeCIFer algorithm analyzes data to pinpoint potential equipment issues before they escalate. According to ABB, this approach enables customers to shift from reactive repair to predictive maintenance, potentially reducing downtime by up to 90 percent and maintenance costs by up to 85 percent while extending infrastructure life.
Data centers now represent IPEC’s largest and fastest-growing market segment, particularly in the United States, according to ABB. IPEC’s platforms offer continuous 24/7 monitoring suitable for the complex and high-availability requirements of these environments, enabling scheduling of maintenance activities before faults develop into outages or costly incidents.
Stuart Thompson, Division President, ABB Electrification Service, said: “Across critical industries, the cost of downtime is staggering, from multi-million-dollar revenue losses in data centers to the safety and reliability risks facing utilities and hospitals. This acquisition gives our customers the diagnostic intelligence they need to prevent failures before they happen.” Thompson added, “By turning complex monitoring data into clear, actionable insights, we’re enabling businesses to shift from reactive repairs to predictive maintenance, so they can focus on performance while their critical infrastructure runs leaner, cleaner, and smarter.”
IPEC employs 70 people and is headquartered in Manchester, with operations in Oxford, Abu Dhabi, Sweden, Riyadh, and Texas, serving a global customer base. Founded in 1995, IPEC has developed monitoring solutions for power engineering, emphasizing strong collaboration with end users and adaptability to evolving market requirements.
Source: ABB
