ABB acquires Austrian firm B&R

The Eggelsberg, Austria-based company B&R, an independent supplier of products, software and open architecture solutions for plant and machinery automation, has officially become part of ABB, a leading electrotechnical group based in Zurich.

The synergies between the two companies will strengthen their respective market positions and increase the rate of progress towards Industry 4.0.

The operation will create a giant enterprise capable of offering a complete portfolio of solutions for industrial automation, combining the products (PLCs, Industrial PCs, servo actuators), software and innovative solutions from B&R with the wide range of offerings from ABB in the field of robotics, process automation, digitalisation and electrification.

B&R was founded in 1979 and has more than 3,000 employees, of whom about 1,000 work in R&D. It operates in 70 countries and posted a turnover of US $600 million in 2015-2016.