United Technologies Corp. announced July 23 it has reached agreement to sell its Rocketdyne unit, currently part of Pratt & Whitney, to GenCorp Inc. for $550 million.
The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2013.
As previously announced, proceeds from the sale will be used to repay a portion of the short-term debt incurred to finance the proposed acquisition of Goodrich Corporation. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
“We are pleased to announce GenCorp’s agreement to purchase Rocketdyne. It is a significant step in our ongoing portfolio transformation,” said UTC Chairman and CEO Louis Chenevert. “While it is not core to UTC’s commercial building systems and aerospace businesses, Rocketdyne is a solid company and a national asset with many talented employees. Leading up to the closing with GenCorp, we will remain focused on operational excellence and 100 percent mission success.”
Scott Seymour, GenCorp CEO, said, “We see great strategic value in this transaction for the country, our customers, partner supply base and our shareholders.
“The combined enterprise will be better positioned to compete in a dynamic, highly competitive marketplace, and provide more affordable products for our customers,” Seymour continued.
“In addition, this transaction almost doubles the size of our company and provides additional growth opportunities as we build upon the complementary capabilities of each legacy company that has enabled a generation of human space travel and national security launch services. We have the opportunity to build upon the proud heritage of our companies, the ability to create increased value for our customers and, best of all, to secure the future of both organizations,” Seymour said.
PWR, headquartered in Canoga Park, Calif., is a provider of high-value propulsion, power, energy and innovative system solutions used in a wide variety of government and commercial applications, including the main engines for the Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, missile defense systems and advanced hypersonic engines.
