Eaton has bought many companies over its more than 110 year history, transforming from a truck axle maker into a global power management giant. Its most significant and largest acquisition was Cooper Industries in 2012 for 11.8 billion dollars, which brought brands like Bussmann fuses, Crouse-Hinds explosion-proof equipment, and Cooper Lighting, now Eaton Lighting, and also led Eaton to reincorporate in Dublin, Ireland. Other major acquisitions include Cutler-Hammer in 1978, which became the foundation of its electrical business and is still known to electricians today, Westinghouse Distribution and Controls in 1994, Aeroquip-Vickers in 1999 for hydraulics and aerospace, the Moeller Group from Germany in 2008 for electrical components, and Tripp Lite in 2021 for 1.65 billion dollars to strengthen its data center and UPS business. Eaton has also acquired companies like Powerware for UPS, Souriau-Sunbank for connectors, and many smaller aerospace and vehicle component makers. In total, Eaton has acquired dozens of companies, with Cooper Industries being the most transformative, turning Eaton into a predominantly electrical company competing directly with Schneider Electric and Siemens, and making it a leader in electrical distribution, lighting, and power management worldwide.
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