Liana Baker, Ryan Gould and David Carnevali

Wed, May 21, 2025, 5:52 AM2 min read

(Bloomberg) -- Motorola Solutions Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire closely held wireless-radio maker Silvus Technologies for around $4.5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

Most Read from Bloomberg

• Can Frank Gehry’s ‘Grand LA’ Make Downtown Feel Like a Neighborhood?

• Chicago’s O’Hare Airport Seeks Up to $4.3 Billion of Muni Debt

• NJ Transit Makes Deal With Engineers, Ending Three-Day Strike

The companies could announce a deal within weeks, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.

A final agreement hasn’t been reached and talks with Motorola could still end without one, the people said. Representatives for Motorola and TJC declined to comment.

Silvus, which is owned by private equity firm TJC, has been exploring options including a potential sale or initial public offering, Bloomberg News reported in January. Mid-market focused TJC was formerly known as The Jordan Co.

For Motorola, a takeover of Silvus would be its second-biggest acquisition ever, behind only its agreement to buy Arris Technology Inc. for $9.5 billion in 1999, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Motorola has been a serial acquirer but mostly at the smaller end. It’s done some 40 deals in the past decade, with only two acquisitions of $1 billion or more, the data show.

Silvus designs and manufactures wireless radios and communication systems used by the military and law enforcement agencies in harsh and challenging environments. Demand for its advanced and secure communications apparatus is high amid continuing geopolitical tensions and regional conflicts around the world.

Chicago-based Motorola was once synonymous with mobile phones and pagers. It has since reinvented itself as a provider of high-tech security products for businesses and governments. The company provides two-way radios for firefighters, body cameras for police officers and software that sends emails and text alerts during emergencies.

Longtime Motorola Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Greg Brown said in a Bloomberg TV interview in November that “M&A does play a key role going forward.”

Shares of Motorola have gained about 14% in the past year, giving the company a market value of roughly $71 billion.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

• Why Apple Still Hasn’t Cracked AI

• Inside the First Stargate AI Data Center

• Anthropic Is Trying to Win the AI Race Without Losing Its Soul

• Microsoft’s CEO on How AI Will Remake Every Company, Including His

• Cartoon Network’s Last Gasp

©2025 Bloomberg L.P.