Robohub.org
 

25% of KUKA shares trade hands

by
08 December 2014



share this:
IIWA_Kuka-water glass

 Voith GmbH, among the biggest family-owned businesses in Europe, acquired 25% of robot maker Kuka AG by buying the shares held by Grenzebach GmbH.

The transaction was valued at €555 million ($683 million), based on Bloomberg closing share prices.

KUKA has been active financially this last year:

  • KUKA acquired the engineering services, toolmaking and integration divisions of US-based Utica Enterprises for an estimated $25 million in May, 2013. 300 people were involved in the acquisition.
  • KUKA acquired 51% of the shares of Reis Robotics, a 57-year old family-owned Germany-based robotics provider and systems integrator with sales of $178 million, in December, 2013. 1,300 employes worked for Reis.
  • KUKA acquired Alema Automation SAS, a French automation solutions provider to the aviation industry, in March, 2014, for an undisclosed amount.
  • KUKA purchased Swisslog, a healthcare and materials handling robot company, for $378 million in October, 2014. Grenzebach GmbH was a 30% shareholder of Swisslog at the time of the acquisition.

Till Reuter, CEO of KUKA, said: “This is good news for our employees, as this new anchor shareholder will provide us with a stable basis for further growth.”

“Kuka is focused on mechanics, electronics, sensor systems and software,” Voith Chief Executive Officer Hubert Lienhard said. “This makes it an ideal, forward-looking investment for us.

Will there be a consolidation of KUKA, Grenzebach and Swisslog mobility R&D and products? And will there be a mobile manipulator robot in the near-term future using KUKA’s new lightweight IBR iiwa arm and Swisslog’s and Grenzebach’s consolidated mobile platform? Interesting times …

If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:

See all the latest robotics news on Robohub, or sign up for our weekly newsletter.



tags: , , , ,


Frank Tobe is the owner and publisher of The Robot Report, and is also a panel member for Robohub's Robotics by Invitation series.
Frank Tobe is the owner and publisher of The Robot Report, and is also a panel member for Robohub's Robotics by Invitation series.





Related posts :



Open Robotics Launches the Open Source Robotics Alliance

The Open Source Robotics Foundation (OSRF) is pleased to announce the creation of the Open Source Robotics Alliance (OSRA), a new initiative to strengthen the governance of our open-source robotics so...

Robot Talk Episode 77 – Patricia Shaw

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Patricia Shaw from Aberystwyth University all about home assistance robots, and robot learning and development.
18 March 2024, by

Robot Talk Episode 64 – Rav Chunilal

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Rav Chunilal from Sellafield all about robotics and AI for nuclear decommissioning.
31 December 2023, by

AI holidays 2023

Thanks to those that sent and suggested AI and robotics-themed holiday videos, images, and stories. Here’s a sample to get you into the spirit this season....
31 December 2023, by and

Faced with dwindling bee colonies, scientists are arming queens with robots and smart hives

By Farshad Arvin, Martin Stefanec, and Tomas Krajnik Be it the news or the dwindling number of creatures hitting your windscreens, it will not have evaded you that the insect world in bad shape. ...
31 December 2023, by

Robot Talk Episode 63 – Ayse Kucukyilmaz

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Ayse Kucukyilmaz from the University of Nottingham about collaboration, conflict and failure in human-robot interactions.
31 December 2023, by





Robohub is supported by:




Would you like to learn how to tell impactful stories about your robot or AI system?


scicomm
training the next generation of science communicators in robotics & AI


©2024 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence


 












©2021 - ROBOTS Association