Rockwell – Rockwell Automation completes acquisition of autonomous robotics leader Clearpath Robotics and its industrial offering OTTO Motors
Acquisition gives Rockwell end-to-end autonomous production logistics solutions
MILWAUKEE–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today announced it completed its acquisition of Ontario, Canada-based Clearpath Robotics Inc., a leader in autonomous robotics, including autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for industrial applications.
The acquisition includes Clearpath Robotics’ namesake research division, a leader in developing autonomous technology for the innovation market, and the industrial division OTTO Motors, which provides AMRs, the next frontier in industrial automation and transformation. Both divisions report to Rockwell’s Intelligent Devices operating segment.
“We are delighted to welcome the Clearpath Robotics and OTTO Motors teams to Rockwell,” said Blake Moret, Chairman and CEO, Rockwell Automation. “This acquisition marks a turning point for our customers around the world. Rockwell is simplifying and transforming the difficult yet critical function of material handling throughout the manufacturing plant with an end-to-end production logistics solution. Production logistics is key to optimizing operations across an entire facility and bringing the Connected Enterprise to life.”
OTTO Motors will be featured at Rockwell’s Automation Fair, the world’s premier industrial automation and digital transformation event, Nov. 6-9 in Boston, where customers will see first-hand the significant impact that AMRs will have on productivity and safety across operations.
According to Interact Analysis, the market for AMRs in manufacturing is expected to grow about 30% per year over the next five years, with an estimated market size of $6.2 billion by 2027. This acquisition is expected to contribute a percentage point to Rockwell’s fiscal year 2024 revenue growth.
“Not only do AMRs connect islands of automation; they are often one of the final major elements that help manufacturers achieve autonomous production logistics, enabling significant value creation for the manufacturer and their customers,” said Amar Mehta, EY Americas Strategy and Transactions Advanced Manufacturing Leader. “Rockwell is a leader in the key hardware, software, and services that are needed to integrate AMRs into a manufacturing plant. With this acquisition, Rockwell enhances its ability to take manufacturers on a full end-to-end digital transformation for their production environments.”
SourceRockwell Automation
EMR Analysis
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More information on the Rockwell Automation Fair 2023 (November 6-9, 2023 – Boston, Massachusetts, USA): https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-us/company/events/in-person-events/automation-fair.html + The hottest innovations. The smartest experts. The latest strategies. They all intersect at Automation Fair 2023, the world’s premier industrial automation and digital transformation event.
Discover everything you need to succeed today and into the future as you experience memorable keynotes, interactive training, tip-filled sessions, and so much more.
Get ready to take notes as you explore ways to optimize production, empower people, build resilience, drive sustainability, and achieve digital transformation. No matter your role or specialty, there’s something for everyone at Automation Fair.
More information on Clearpath Robotics Inc.: https://clearpathrobotics.com/ + Clearpath was started in a basement by four friends who loved building robots in university. After experiencing their own frustrations in the lab, they wanted to make robotics research easier. Persisting, failing, iterating and finally succeeding on the build of their first unmanned vehicle, Clearpath Robotics was born.
Since then, the company has grown. We have robots and customers all over the world. Our offices are bigger and we have real desks, but we’ve held on to the spirit with which we began: be genuine, listen to customers, and keep it beautifully simple. Our team is passionate about building robots for the greater good. We love to problem solve, make innovative ideas a reality, and play the occasional game of frisbee over lunch. We’re the leader in research robotics and blazing the trail for robots in industry.
Founded in 2009, Clearpath got its start offering robotics technology to global research and development markets, and in 2015, launched its OTTO Motors Division.
More information on Matt Rendall (Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Clearpath): https://clearpathrobotics.com/our-leadership-team/ + https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrendall/
More information on OTTO Motors Division by Clearpath: https://ottomotors.com/ + At OTTO, we design flexible and intelligent autonomous mobile robots for industry, with the ultimate goal of automating the world’s dullest, dirtiest, and deadliest jobs. Together, we can automate materials movement.
More information on Matt Rendall (Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, OTTO Motors, Clearpath): https://ottomotors.com/team + https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrendall/
More information on Ernst & Young: http://www.ey.com/ + EY exists to build a better working world, helping create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets. Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate. Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.
More information on Carmine Di Sibio (Global Chairman & CEO, EY): https://www.linkedin.com/in/carminedisibio/
More information on Amar B. Mehta (Strategy and Transactions Advanced Manufacturing & Mobility Leader, EY Americas): https://www.ey.com/en_gl/people/amar-mehta + https://www.linkedin.com/in/amar-mehta-9722b11/
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EMR Additional Notes:
- Cobots (Collaborative Robots):
- A collaborative robot, also known as a cobot, is a robot that is capable of learning multiple tasks so it can assist human beings. In contrast, autonomous robots are hard-coded to repeatedly perform one task, work independently and remain stationary.
- Intended to work hand-in-hand with employees. These machines focus more on repetitive tasks, such as inspection and picking, to help workers focus more on tasks that require problem-solving skills.
- A robot is an autonomous machine that performs a task without human control. A cobot is an artificially intelligent robot that performs tasks in collaboration with human workers.
- According to ISO 10218 part 1 and part 2, there are four main types of collaborative robots: safety monitored stop, speed and separation, power and force limiting, and hand guiding.
- Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR):
- Any robot that can understand and move through its environment without being overseen directly by an operator or on a fixed predetermined path. AMRs have an array of sophisticated sensors that enable them to understand and interpret their environment, which helps them to perform their task in the most efficient manner and path possible, navigating around fixed obstructions (building, racks, work stations, etc.) and variable obstructions (such as people, lift trucks, and debris). Though similar in many ways to automated guided vehicles (AGVs), AMRs differ in a number of important ways. The greatest of these differences is flexibility: AGVs must follow much more rigid, preset routes than AMRs. Autonomous mobile robots find the most efficient route to achieve each task, and are designed to work collaboratively with operators such as picking and sortation operations, whereas AGVs typically do not.
- Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV):
- An AGV system, or automated guided vehicle system, otherwise known as an automatic guided vehicle, autonomous guided vehicle or even automatic guided cart, is a system which follows a predestined path around a facility.
- Three types of AGVs are towing, fork trucks, and heavy load carriers. Each is designed to perform repetitive actions such as delivering raw materials, keep loads stable, and complete simple tasks.
- The main difference between an AGV and an AMR is that AMRs use free navigation by means of lasers, while AGVs are located with fixed elements: magnetic tapes, magnets, beacons, etc. So, to be effective, they must have a predictable route.