Rockwell to Buy Remainder of Flight Dynamics

Rockwell International Corp., the largest U.S. maker of factory automation equipment, said Tuesday it agreed to buy the remaining half of its Flight Dynamics joint venture for an undisclosed price to add to its line of aviation electronics products.

Flight Dynamics makes guidance systems that help pilots fly in low visibility. The Portland, Ore.-based company, which has 250 employees, was a venture between Rockwell’s avionics unit, Rockwell Collins, and Kaiser Aerospace Electronics Corp. in Foster City.

“Flight Dynamics brings important technology to the core Rockwell Collins businesses,” said Clay Jones, president of Rockwell Collins. The unit, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, provided about 30% of Rockwell’s fiscal 1998 revenue of $6.75 billion.

The transaction is expected to close this quarter.

Costa Mesa-based Rockwell said Monday it’s moving its corporate headquarters to Milwaukee to be closer to its automation unit and other core businesses.