Honeywell has acquired privately held Rocky Research, a Boulder City, Nevada-based technology leader specialising in thermal, energy and power management solutions.

"Rocky Research is an ideal addition to Honeywell's expanding product portfolio," says Mike Madsen, president and chief executive officer of Honeywell Aerospace. "Effective cooling systems optimised for size, weight and power are critical to meet the growing need for aircraft electrification, unmanned and autonomous aerial vehicles, and related systems. Rocky Research will augment Honeywell's existing technology capabilities in these areas."

The acquisition of Rocky Research positions Honeywell with an advanced capability in the fast-growing power and thermal management market. The combined, differentiated capabilities of Rocky Research and Honeywell will help reduce the size, weight, power and cost of thermal and power management and hardware systems.

Rocky Research's sole owner, President and CEO, Uwe Rockenfeller, will join Honeywell and continue to serve as president, while his company will be held as a wholly owned subsidiary focused on power and thermal research and development. Rocky Research's current location in Huntsville, Alabama, will remain a key integration and testing site, and its headquarters in Boulder City will serve as a research and development centre.

Rocky Research focuses on thermal management applications complementary to Honeywell Aerospace's existing technologies, and has won several major contracts supporting various U.S. Department of Defense projects.