The internationally active automation specialist KEBA AG located in Linz, Austria, acquires LTI Motion and Heinz Fiege GmbH, technically leading suppliers of drive solutions and spindle technology based in Lahnau and Röllbach, Germany. A corresponding contract between KEBA AG and the seller, Körber AG, based in Hamburg, Germany, was signed on November 15, 2018. This acquisition strengthens KEBA's position in industrial automation.“The portfolios of KEBA and LTI Motion complement each other perfectly,” explains Gerhard Luftensteiner, CEO of KEBA AG. “KEBA is a specialist in control and safety, and in operations in industrial environments, LTI Motion in the area of servo drive technology. The great advantage for our existing and future customers is that this expertise is now bundled. Customers will now receive complete solutions from a single source - from operations, control and safety technology, to drive technology – and all this appropriate for their respective industry,” continues Luftensteiner.
Founded in 1971 as Lust Electronic-Systeme GmbH with headquarters in Lahnau, Germany, LTI Motion has been part of the international technology group Körber since 2013. With several locations in Europe and one location in China, LTI Motion is among the few specialized suppliers of drive solutions for customers in demanding mechanical engineering industries. The Heinz Fiege GmbH is a specialist for application-oriented spindle technology.
KEBA and LTI Motion have already been cooperating closely in the field of automation solutions for a number of years. Bundling this expertise and the decades of experience and innovative strength of KEBA, LTI Motion and Heinz Fiege GmbH, offers a unique market opportunity for both companies. Synergies will exist not only in technology and the modular product system, but also in sales.
“We are extremely pleased to have a new strategic owner with KEBA who, like us, is dedicated to subjects like innovation and customer proximity,” emphasizes Hartmut Braun, Managing Director of LTI Motion. “The merger is a great opportunity for both companies. The portfolios of KEBA and LTI Motion complement each other perfectly. We are convinced that we can offer our customers a solution portfolio that gives them clear competitive advantages in their industries.”
“LTI Motion and Heinz Fiege GmbH are successful companies that can demonstrate many years of expertise. They are ideally positioned and have an experienced and highly competent workforce. Naturally, we will harness the synergies and joint strength, but at the same time we will emphasize continuity in the management of LTI Motion. It is important to us that LTI Motion's customers continue to receive optimal technical and personal support, and ultimately benefit from the merger and the complete solution portfolio it creates,” says Gerhard Luftensteiner.
With this acquisition, KEBA is rapidly continuing its course of growth, significantly expanding its market position in industrial automation. With the acquisition, the KEBA Group will grow from 1200 to over 1700 employees. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The transaction is expected to close at the end of December 2018.
Gerhard Luftensteiner, CEO KEBA AG, Hartmut Braun, Managing Director LTI Motion
Source: KEBA
