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Delta acquires industrial automation software company Trihedral

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Delta Electronics is to acquire 100 percent of the shares of Trihedral Engineering, a Canadian SCADA and IIoT software company, for more than $33 million.

The acquisition will unite Delta’s hardware and Trihedral’s software in the rapidly growing field of automation, AI, and data analytics.

Delta says the initiative will further strengthen its sales expansion in various fields such as industrial automation for smart manufacturing. [Read more…] about Delta acquires industrial automation software company Trihedral

SICK adds flagship safety light curtain to US production lines

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SICK has launched new flagship light curtain line called deTec4

As a sensor supplier for major manufacturers throughout the United States, SICK has local United States production capabilities that enables us to better serve its customers to keep the supply chain moving.

SICK produces materials in a close-to-the-market fashion, with a regional focus.

In the US, SICK has positioned production sites in each region to meet the demand from customers in each region. [Read more…] about SICK adds flagship safety light curtain to US production lines

ASTI Mobile Robotics wins European Technology Award for automation

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ASTI Mobile Robotics has won the “European Technology Award” in the category of “Automation”.

The European Awards are organised by the Professional and Business Excellence Institute and were presented in a ceremony at the Ritz Hotel in Paris recently.

The CEO of the company, Verónica Pascual, together with Jean-Michel Beghin, president of Keensight Capital, and Jean-Louis Menu, ASTI MR France country manager, collected the award which consolidates ASTI as a leader in mobile robotics and automation within the European market. [Read more…] about ASTI Mobile Robotics wins European Technology Award for automation

Campaign to Stop Killer Robots sends peace envoy robot to United Nations

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The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots – an actual political and social group run mostly by humans – has sent a peace envoy robot to deliver a letter to the United Nations building in New York, in the US.

According to the Guardian newspaper, the campaign group will give UN diplomats a letter in which it is demanding that the world stops the development of autonomous war machines.

These can include, but are not limited to, technologies such as drones, tanks and other other machinery controlled by an autonomous computer which is running artificial intelligence systems that decide whether to kill people or not. [Read more…] about Campaign to Stop Killer Robots sends peace envoy robot to United Nations

Raytheon and United Technologies aerospace businesses to merge

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Raytheon Company and United Technologies have entered into an agreement to combine in an all-stock merger of equals.

The transaction will create a premier systems provider with advanced technologies to address rapidly growing segments within aerospace and defence.

The merger of Raytheon, a leading defence company, and United Technologies, a leading aerospace company, comprised of Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney, will offer a complementary portfolio of platform-agnostic aerospace and defence technologies.

[Read more…] about Raytheon and United Technologies aerospace businesses to merge

Samsung moves into the vertical farming market

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Agricultural innovations are essential for feeding our ever-growing global population.

Especially these days, as industrialisation and global warming continue to negatively affect soil fertility and reduce the amount of arable land.

According to the United Nations, the world’s population is set to reach 9.8 billion by 2050.

[Read more…] about Samsung moves into the vertical farming market

UTC begins work on hybrid electric aeroplane

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United Technologies (UTC) has recently launched the advanced projects group within the company, which moves at speed to build and pilot ambitious product and service demonstrators.

The group’s first product demonstrator is a hybrid-electric X-plane under the project name, Project 804.

The number “804” represents the straight-line mileage between the Pratt & Whitney facility in Longueuil, Québec, and the Collins Aerospace facility in Rockford, Illinois.

[Read more…] about UTC begins work on hybrid electric aeroplane

$700 billion spent on mergers and acquisitions in industrial sector

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Almost $700 billion was spent on mergers and acquisitions in industrial sector last year, according to a study.

Research from global management consultancy A.T. Kearney has found that the total value of deals in the industrials market has risen to $680 billion in 2018, an increase from $662 billion the year before.

A.T. Kearney’s Industrials M&A Report 2019 analysed over 76,000 global transactions between 2009 and 2018 and found that the trend towards so-called ‘megadeals’ is set to continue.

2018 alone saw more than 100 individual deals worth over $1 billion, and seven of those transactions topping the $10 billion mark – including significant deals such as United Technologies’ $30+ billion takeover of avionics supplier Rockwell Collins and the intra-UK $12.1bn deal between Melrose Industries and GKN. [Read more…] about $700 billion spent on mergers and acquisitions in industrial sector

DoCoMo and Itochu to trial IoT solution for delivery fleet management in the US

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NTT DoCoMo and Itochu Logistics are planning to trial an internet-of-things solution for delivery fleet management in the US.

The system uses devices compatible with low-power, wide-area LTE-M technology to enable delivery businesses to visualize the status of outsourced trucks in their fleets.

The trial will begin in the United States on May 1, 2019. [Read more…] about DoCoMo and Itochu to trial IoT solution for delivery fleet management in the US

US gives Midea green light to buy Kuka

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US approves Midea takeover of Kuka. Reuters/Wolfgang Rattay
US approves Midea takeover of Kuka. Reuters/Wolfgang Rattay

Reuters

China’s Midea said it will complete its takeover of German robotics maker Kuka in the first half of January after the United States authorities gave the deal a green light.

Midea, which launched a €4.5 billion offer for Kuka in May, said Germany’s markets regulator had approved the settlement of the transaction, allowing it to control a 94.55 percent voting stake in Kuka from January onwards.

The bid for Kuka, a high-tech robotics manufacturer, sparked controversy in Germany amid fears that key technologies were falling into foreign hands at a time when China protects its own companies against foreign takeovers.  [Read more…] about US gives Midea green light to buy Kuka