Rockwell to Buy Cedes’ Safety and Automation

April 1, 2008
Rockwell Automation Acquires Cedes' Safety and Automation Business

Rockwell Automation has reached a definitive agreement to acquire the Safety and Automation business of Cedes AG, a supplier of safety and measuring light curtains, as well as other safety and non-safety optoelectronics, control units and related accessories for industrial applications. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Cedes Safety and Automation is headquartered in Landquart, Switzerland, with sales offices primarily across Europe. The business unit being acquired includes products, technology, development engineering, marketing, sales and distribution to serve the industrial safety and automation markets.

“As the global leader in the process and machine safety market, this acquisition will enhance a strategic segment within our product portfolio,” said Steve Eisenbrown, senior vice president of Rockwell Automation.

Rockwell expects the transaction to be completed early in the second calendar quarter of 2008. After the acquisition is complete, customers can continue to purchase products through the current distribution network of Cedes’ Safety and Automation business. As products become available under the Allen-Bradley brand, customers will also be able to purchase them through the Rockwell distribution network.