Aretè Cocchi Technology acquires German division REIS Robotics from KUKA
Aretè Cocchi Technology has acquired the German robotics group KUKA’s business unit dedicated to integrated automation. Based in Obernburg am Main / Frankfurt, the newly acquired “KUKA Industries” division has 350 employees and 40 million euros in sales.
KUKA Industries will operate under the brand name “REIS Robotics”, the original name of the mechanical engineering and robotics company that the Reis family founded in 1957 in Obernburg, before KUKA acquired the company in 2014. With this transaction, Aretè Cocchi Technology consolidates its global presence and its range of innovative technological solutions, creating a fourth Business Area dedicated to Robotics & Industry Automation. Together with the existing Packaging Solutions, Airfield Technology, and Science Applications divisions, the new venture brings the group to 14 subsidiaries and 850 employees, with 250 million euros in annual turnover and production in Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, the United States and China.
The acquisition was completed by ACT Group, the controlling shareholder with 70 percent of the shares in Reis Robotics, together with FAI-Futuro all’Impresa, a Milan-based financing company that entered with a 30 percent minority stake to complete the reorganization.
“With this operation we strengthen our strategic positioning in highly technological applications, packaging and advanced automation,” says Gino Cocchi, founder and president of Aretè Cocchi Technology. “We see strong potential for synergy both in terms of products and markets, with the integration of REIS Robotics‘ know-how in areas that complement our current activities. We also envision expanding Obernburg’s business through our international networks in Europe, America and Asia. As with all the acquisitions our group has carried out since the 1990s, REIS Robotics represents for us a stable investment and a long-term commitment, with the goal of being technological leaders in every field in which we are active.”
Aretè Cocchi Technology will provide its international expertise in industrial and organizational management. It will also leverage its specialization in automation and packaging processes through its subsidiary CT Pack, which is directly involved in the acquisition and relaunch of REIS Robotics. The Aretè Cocchi Technology Group’s Corporate Services division will implement the group’s organizational model in Obernburg, allowing the German company to focus on its core business: market, technology and operations. A three-year revitalization plan aims to increase REIS Robotics‘ sales to 60 million euros in 2024, 70 million in 2025, and 80 million in 2026, with the Obernburg-based brand reclaiming a leading role within a competitive international environment.
“With CT Pack and FAI Holding, we have found new shareholders who bring a strategy that is more consistent with KUKA Industries’ business model, offering the Obernburg plant and its employees a better development perspective. This means more independent sales structures and greater visibility in the market,” says Peter Mohnen, CEO of KUKA, a leading global supplier of robots and intelligent automation solutions, with annual sales of 4 billion euros. The company employees 15,000 people across its Ausburg headquarters and 40 other locations worldwide.
“We have a long-term relaunch plan in mind for REIS Robotics,” says Luigi Maniglio, partner of FAI. “The union with a company like Areté Cocchi Technology, a leader both in Italy and internationally for highly innovative mechanical and electronic technologies, will bring an added value that will soon be recognized by the market. REIS Robotics will once again become a point of reference for the sector.”
Press Release – 17 July 2023