Helios Technologies’ Strategy Drives Another Record Year of Product Line and Technological Innovation within its Hydraulics Segment

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SARASOTA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Helios Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: HLIO) (“Helios” or the “Company”), a global leader in highly engineered motion control and electronic controls technology for diverse end markets, announced today another record year of commercially available product releases and inter-company product iterations within our Hydraulics segment.

Over the years, Helios has built a powerful portfolio of assets and technologies in the hydraulics industry both organically, and through acquisition. Throughout 2022, Sun Hydraulics continued its path of product expansions with the release of twenty-five cartridge valves and seven quick release couplings, increasing the market configurable variations that provide the reliability and dependability our customers have come to expect. These products, which primarily originated in the portfolios of other Helios companies, are newly available to be used in conjunction with the Sun product portfolio for the first time, aiding in the development of new hydraulic solutions. Additionally, Faster created a total of 314 new part numbers, of which 45% were dedicated to OEM customers, including castings, standalone couplers, multi-connections, check valves and screw-on couplers. The remaining new products are available for the distribution market with a focus on caps, accessories, bundles, and other spare parts.

Josef Matosevic, Helios’ President, and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Helios Technologies has a long history of innovation leadership. This collection of market leading hydraulic product releases and integrated solutions further demonstrate the power of our strategy as we leverage our research and development across our businesses. We are making great progress on becoming an integrated operating company building robust solutions. The outlook is bright as our Hydraulics segment outpaces market growth and maintains a leading market presence.”

Featured Products Commercialized in 2022 Include:

  • FNUC, a 4-way, 3-position, electro- proportional, solenoid-operated, directional valve centered to the neutral position, is compact, lightweight, and best used to provide fine speed control of the working cylinders.
  • PRTS, an Electro-proportional, pressure reducing and relieving valve, is a direct-acting solution geared to support motion control applications, such as winches.
  • FREL, a 3-way, fully adjustable, bypass restrictive priority control flow control valve, is an excellent solution for applications such as mowers, cutters, shears, and augers.
  • DNUT, a 4-way, 2-position direct-acting balanced piston solenoid-operated directional valve, is often used as a reversing valve and is well suited for mulching attachment applications.
  • DMTA, a 3-way, 2-position direct-acting balanced spool, solenoid-operated directional valve, offers a maximum operating pressure of 3600 psi (250 bar) and can be utilized to pilot small actuators or in mining trucks.
  • DMUT, a 3-way, 2-position direct-acting solenoid-operated, balanced spool directional valve with a max operating pressure designed to work up to 3000 psi (210 bar), is well suited for piloting small actuators or in mining trucks.
  • DMUQ, a 3-way, 2-position direct-acting, solenoid-operated, balanced spool directional valve with a max operating pressure designed to work up to 1600 psi (110 bar), offers excellent pilot control and is well suited for piloting small actuators or to pilot larger valves.
  • DLUT, a 2-way, 2-position solenoid-operated, direct-acting, balanced spool directional valve, is well suited for sweeper motors.
  • Taimi integration program, with a new cast iron manifold originated by Faster several years ago for skid steer application, is now available also with fully integrated swivel cartridges resulting in a new product suitable for different applications such as forestry market.
  • Evo-3, a Multifaster available in several configurations, offers a new generation of hydraulic multi-connections also equipped with low-medium and high voltage harnesses to cope with the trend of electrification of implements.
  • Integration of cartridge shuttle valves produced by NEM on Faster cast iron manifolds is ideal for the skid steer loader market.
  • Faster’s industrial special multiconnection program integrates and expands the product portfolio by providing the ability to design more complex solutions.

Other Major Hydraulic Innovations Announced in 2022:

  • Sun Hydraulics introduced the ecoline™ program, a variety of solutions equipped to save energy, time, and resources. These solutions can be used to customize a system that can significantly boost and improve efficiency, reduce fuel consumption, and provide cost savings. Composed of several unique products, the ecoline™ program features Sun’s latest evolution in electrohydraulic load holding, eSense™, as well as other popular solutions such as the LoadMatch™, Load Adaptive™, Series 4 Plus cartridges, T-18AU & T-19AU cavities, QuickDesign, and EVY manifold castings.
  • Sun Hydraulics launched the “Sun Common Cavity” cartridge valves. These are reliable, universal solutions for a broad variety of hydraulic systems used in highly demanding applications that have lower pressure and leakage requirements. The Sun Common product family provides customers the high quality and reliability associated with the global Sun Hydraulics brand coupled with the flexibility of integration into standard hydraulic system designs.
  • Sun Hydraulics announced ENERGEN™, the unique cartridge valve that converts hydraulic flow into electric energy. ENERGEN™ is a unique solution that can create electrical power by capturing energy from hydraulic fluid flow, which can then be used to support the growing number of electrical applications required in mobile equipment.

Helios Technologies was created with the founding of Sun Hydraulics in 1970. Over the years, Helios has enhanced its Hydraulics capabilities, end markets, and geographies through organic investments and a disciplined and targeted acquisition strategy. Major acquisitions in its Hydraulics segment include:

  • Faster S.r.l., acquired in April 2018, is based in the Lombardy region of Italy with 70 years of experience in the hydraulic industry with more than 100 registered patents and manufactures industry-best quick-release couplings.
  • Custom Fluid Power, acquired in August 2018, is one of Australia’s leading fluid power solutions and service providers giving Helios expanded capabilities in complete hydraulic system design.
  • NEM, acquired in July 2021, based in northern Italy’s Emilia Romagna region, is an innovative hydraulic solutions company providing customized solutions to its global OEM customer base, predominantly in Europe and Asia.
  • Taimi, acquired in July 2022, is a Canadian manufacturer of innovative hydraulic components that offers ball-less swivel products which improve hydraulic reliability of equipment, increase the service life of components, and help protect the environment by reducing leakage.
  • Daman Products Company, acquired in September 2022, is an Indiana-based, recognized leader in complex manifold design and manufacturing for precision hydraulic manifolds and related fluid conveyance products.
  • Schultes Precision Manufacturing, acquired in January 2023, is an Illinois-based company with a strong reputation of being a technologically advanced manufacturer specializing in precision machined components and assemblies for customers requiring very tight tolerances, superior quality, and exceptional value-added manufacturing processes.

About Helios Technologies

Helios Technologies is a global leader in highly engineered motion control and electronic controls technology for diverse end markets, including construction, material handling, agriculture, energy, recreational vehicles, marine and health and wellness. Helios sells its products to customers in over 90 countries around the world. Its strategy for growth is to be the leading provider in niche markets, with premier products and solutions through innovative product development and acquisition. The Company has paid a cash dividend to its shareholders every quarter since becoming a public company in 1997. For more information please visit: www.heliostechnologies.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Investor and Media contact:
Tania Almond
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communication
(941) 362-1333
tania.almond@HLIO.com

Deborah Pawlowski
Kei Advisors LLC
(716) 843-3908
dpawlowski@keiadvisors.com

Source: Helios Technologies, Inc.

Released February 27, 2023