Pfäffikon, Switzerland-based mechatronic solutions provider Stäubli Group has acquired a 70% stake in WFT GmbH & Co. KG, based in Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany. WFT has specialized in constructing special-purpose machines and mobile platforms for two decades. The acquisition joins the companies in complementary fields such as autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) and automation add-ons.
All employees of the acquired business will join the Stäubli Robotics Division, while the factory in Sulzbach-Rosenberg will become part of the global production network of Stäubli. The new company will operate under the name Stäubli WFT GmbH.
Stäubli CEO Rolf Strebel says, “Stäubli and WFT share a common belief to provide high-tech automation solutions of top quality to our customers by fully focusing on them and their specific needs. Our clients will profit from this step as our products complement each other.”
“Our customers will benefit from our combined expertise and new applications, for example, in AGVs and robotic add-ons,” adds Gerald Vogt, Group Division Manager Robotics.
“We are looking forward to joining Stäubli. Together, we will further develop our high-quality products and offer advanced technological solutions for our clients”, states Franz Wittich, who founded WFT and has been the Managing Director in the past and will continue to hold this position at the new Stäubli unit in Sulzbach-Rosenberg.
Both parties have agreed to keep the transaction price confidential.
Stäubli currently operates in 29 countries, with agents in 50 countries on four continents, with a global workforce of 5,000.