Machine, factory automation provider acquired

ABB announced the acquisition of B&R, a global product- and software-based open architecture company, as they looked to expand in industrial automation and take advantage of the fourth industrial revolution.

By ABB April 4, 2017

ABB announced the acquisition of B&R, a provider focused on product- and software-based, open-architecture solutions for machine and factory automation worldwide. B&R, founded in 1979 by Erwin Bernecker and Josef Rainer is headquartered in Eggelsberg, Austria, employs more than 3,000 people, including about 1,000 R&D and application engineers and operates across 70 countries. he combination will result in an unmatched, comprehensive offering for customers of industrial automation, by pairing B&R’s innovative products, software and solutions for modern machine and factory automation with ABB’s world-leading offering in robotics, process automation, digitalization and electrification.

Through the acquisition, ABB looks to expand in industrial automation and position itself for potential growth opportunities resulting from the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In addition, ABB takes a major step in expanding its digital offering by combining its industry-leading portfolio of digital solutions, ABB Ability, with B&R’s strong application and software platforms, its large installed base, customer access and tailored automation solutions.

"This is a perfect fit and will make us the only industrial automation provider offering customers the entire spectrum of technology and software solutions around measurement, control, actuation, robotics, digitalization and electrification," said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer. 

"ABB’s global presence, digital offering and complementary portfolio will be key for us to further accelerate our pace of innovation and growth," said Josef Rainer, co-founder of B&R.

Erwin Bernecker, co-founder of B&R, said, "The most important thing to me is that the companies and their people fit so well together and that our founding location will play such a key role."

ABB

ABB Group. Leading digital technologies for industry — ABB Group 

B&R

Industrial automation | B&R Industrial Automation 

– Edited from an ABB press release by CFE Media. See more Control Engineering motor and drive stories.