KION Group to create centre of excellence bringing several recent acquisitions together
Warehousing service group Dematic is embarking on a two-step absorption of automated material handling firm Egemin Automation to create “the world’s largest Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) supplier”.
The move aims to provide end-to-end intralogistics solutions, from forklifts to AGVs to high-end warehouse automation.
Egemin Automation had been acquired in 2015 by the KION Group, which bought Dematic last year, and the move is expected to enhance Dematic’s system integration capability in Europe, a spokesperson says.
Initially, Dematic plans to create a Mobile Automation Center of Excellence (COE), combining the AGV products of Dematic, Egemin Automation, and NDC, a recent Dematic technology acquisition in Australia, into one global group.
The COE will also include Egemin’s E’tow in-floor chain conveyor offerings.
The Mobile Automation COE will be headquartered in the US city of Holland, Michigan, presently home of Egemin’s North American operations.
It will operate under the leadership of Tom Kaminski, former CEO of Egemin NA. ther COE locations will include the Egemin Automation offices in Belgium at Zwijndrechtom, Germany (Bremen), France (Heillecourt), and the Netherlands (Gorinchem) plus the Dematic offices in China (Shanghai) and Australia (Belrose).
“As a member of the KION Group, Dematic and Egemin Automation will leverage KION’s leading market position and continued investment in forklift technology to offer an unprecedented level of expertise, techology and world-class manufacturing to customers,” Dematic International CEO Jeff Moss says.
“By combining three great brands, the Dematic Mobile Automation business is now effectively the world’s leading provider of innovative AGV and warehouse technologies that will optimise the supply chain.”
“Together, we offer the marketplace a unique combination of automation and industrial software solutions that will maximise employee efficiency and minimise customer investment.”
In the second integration move, Egemin’s E’wds warehouse automation activities will continue to be located in Zwijndrecht and will be integrated into the Dematic Central Europe organisation, reporting to central Europe MD Barbara Wladarz.
The Benelux team will continue to serve all European regions in the design and delivery of warehouse and distribution solutions.
The enhanced offerings will provide solutions including pallet warehouse systems and standard convey and sort solutions addressing the diversified requirements for markets, such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, distributionand logistics, production and manufacturing.
“Current customers of Egemin Automation will benefit as this new and empowered organisation will leverage the strengths of Dematic to offer even more comprehensive solutions and support,” Vercammen Group MD Jan Vercammen says.
“Our solution portfolio has grown exponentially and our global customer service network cannot be matched – all direct benefits to our customers and our customers’ customer.”
Vercammen will serve as Dematic International Business Development vice president
He will be responsible for business development activities and identifying and facilitating best practices throughout the Dematic International regions of Europe, China, and the Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia zone.