This is a bit of a surprise, Microscan, maker of bar code and datamatrix readers, has just purchased Acuity CiMatrix from Siemens. It's unclear from this press release what exactly has been bought and sold - is NER Lighting included, for example? And what of the Siemens smart camera business?
Presumably this deal relates only to North America, but that makes it all the more interesting. Are Siemens giving up on vision? Seems unlikely. Are Microscan positioning themselves to threaten the market dominance of Cognex? Maybe, but Cognex have deep pockets, so who'd go head-to-head with them?
Mr Grey furrows his brow and ponders these strategic issues.
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Dear Mr. Grey:
Spectris plc, the productivity-enhancing instrumentation and controls company, announces that, through its subsidiary company Microscan Systems Incorporated,it has concluded an agreement to acquire the assets of Siemens' Machine Vision Business, formerly Acuity CiMatrix. Closing of the transaction is subject to certain conditions and is expected to take place within the next few days. Headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA, the business has a global customer base. The initial purchase consideration of $11.5 million will be financed from the group's existing cash resources and is subject to routine balance sheet adjustments.
Siemens' Machine Vision Business is an industry leader in Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC), specialising in machine vision and inspection systems used in a broad array of manufacturing, packaging and traceability applications. Its portfolio of products and technology complements that of Microscan, a global leader in precision data acquisition and control solutions, such that full end-to-end solutions can be provided across a wide range of industries.
As a part of this acquisition, Siemens AG, Industry Sector; Industry Automation Division, Nuremburg, and Microscan have signed a strategic co-development contract to bring new AIDC products to market.
Commenting on the acquisition, John O'Higgins, Chief Executive of Spectris, said: "The acquisition of the Siemens Machine Vision Business strengthens the group's Industrial Controls segment by significantly extending Microscan's product and technology portfolio. It will further enhance their ability to provide full track, trace and control solutions to leading industrial markets, particularly in the medical, electronics manufacturing and automotive sectors."
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