ATS acquires Integrated Automation

Netherlands-based automation company ATS has announced that it has acquired Integrated Automation Pty Ltd, based in Melbourne, Australia. Integrated Automation specialises in system integration, control, industrial automation and related services for manufacturers. The full team at Integrated Automation will continue to serve customers under the name of ATS Applied Tech Systems Pty. Ltd., together with original team members of ATS in Australia.

Armin Fahnle, who becomes managing director of ATS in Australia, commented on the sale of his company: “I am very proud of our achievements at Integrated Automation over the last 20 years and the strong growth and excellent service it has provided to our customers. The decision to sell was taken after we recognised that only a larger, strategic owner could take Integrated Automation to the next phase of its development.

“The businesses fit together well, since both companies are very similar but with complementary customer bases. The industry in which we deliver projects and services is dynamic and our customers need to respond to both global opportunities and local industry transformation. As a global and independent solution provider, ATS has all the right ingredients to help our customers meet their challenges, to power further growth, to provide a secure home for the team and to strengthen technical support for our customers.

“While we add new services and products to our portfolio, we will continue to provide innovative and reliable process solutions to our existing customers,” he added.

Erwin Jansen, ATS’s managing director in Australia since the foundation in 2001, moves on to a new international role at ATS after building one of the company’s most successful subsidiaries.

The new business development manager for ATS in Australia is Rob Conway. For existing and potential customers of the merged companies, he sees a major opportunity to expand the range of solutions offered, with greater breadth and depth of expertise, while providing robust and comprehensive service. An example is the ATS ADOS manufacturing IT suite that can be used by Integrated Automation’s existing customers, while the existing ATS customers can benefit from the enhanced capabilities of the newly created team.

Paul Bron, director of global operations at ATS, explained the strategic importance of the acquisition.

“ATS provides manufacturers with products and services to strengthen their manufacturing excellence programs. Global and local manufacturers have to fully orchestrate their operations and our MES/MOM solutions do just that. However, they also need sophisticated technical solutions,” said Bron.

“In the fourth industrial revolution, commonly referred to as Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing, there will be a real drive to implement cyber-physical systems. This means that products are virtually made before being physically produced. The advanced software created and supported by ATS is essential in this new world,” he added.