ABB has announced today [20 July] it will acquire ASTI Mobile Robotics Group (ASTI), an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) manufacturer, with the aim of providing a complete flexible automation portfolio.
Following the acquisition, ASTI’s site in Burgos, Spain will become ABB’s new AMR headquarters led by Veronica Pascual Boé, ASTI CEO.
She said: “ABB’s vision is a perfect match for us, as we both support our customers’ flexibility and competitiveness through accelerating automation in the workplace.
“This is the next exciting stage of our journey and together we will accelerate our innovation plans, expand our global customer service, partner network, production and execution capacity and leverage ABB’s market access globally and particularly in China.
“I am delighted to join the extended robotics management team and lead the AMR business to deliver this ambitious growth plan.”
The merger will also result in the creation of a new Asia AMR hub at ABB’s robotics factory in Shanghai.
According to the collaboration, AMRs will support an unprecedented degree of flexibility, from production, logistics, intralogistics and fulfilment through to retail and healthcare environments.
This will enable ABB’s and ASTI’s common vision to help customers replace today’s linear production lines with fully flexible networks, where intelligent AMRs autonomously navigate materials, parts and finished products between smart connected workstations, in factories, logistics centres, laboratories, shops or hospitals.
Sami Atiya, president of ABB’s robotics & discrete automation business, added: “With this acquisition, ABB will be the only company to offer a full automation portfolio of AMRs, robots and machine automation solutions, from production to logistics to point of consumption.
“This is a gamechanger for our customers as they adapt to the individualised consumer and seize opportunities presented by significant changes in consumer demand.”
