Yaskawa Electric and Motoman combine to form Yaskawa America

06/08/2010

DAYTON, Ohio & WAUKEGAN, Ill. Motoman Inc. and Yaskawa Electric America, Inc. have announced that they will combine to form Yaskawa America, Inc. The Motoman Inc. operations, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, will form the Motoman Robotics Division of Yaskawa America; the Yaskawa Electric America, Inc. operations, headquartered in Waukegan, Ill., will form the Drives & Motion Division. According to Yaskawa America, Inc., Chairman and CEO, Gen Kudo, the new name will allow Yaskawa to exploit fully its position as the world's largest manufacturer of AC drives, motion control products and industrial robots.

"The global economy is recovering, and we believe this is the perfect time to combine the brand name strength of Yaskawa and Motoman. Using the name Yaskawa on a global basis will strengthen our corporate identity and emphasize the strong global connection between drives, motion control products and robotics. Yaskawa Electric Corporation in Japan, which is globally recognized for innovative engineering and quality products, has always used the company name of Yaskawa. This brand recognition, plus Yaskawa's powerful sales and manufacturing presence in Asia, Europe and the Americas will enable Yaskawa America to more effectively market our broad product lines," Kudo said.

Steve Barhorst, president and COO of the Motoman Robotics Division, and Jody Kurzhalts, president and COO of the Drives & Motion Division, believe customers will realize measurable benefits from better alignment of their divisions. "Our customers will enjoy the synergies of closer collaboration with our sister division," Kurzhalts said. Barhorst agreed and added, "Our combined capabilities will lead to more innovative products. We are particularly excited about the prospects for developing advanced controls technology utilizing the expertise and experience of both divisions."

From an operational standpoint, both the Drives & Motion Division and the Motoman Robotics Division will continue to operate as independent divisions, retaining the same management structures and operating in the same geographical regions that are currently in place.

Founded in 1989, the Motoman Robotics Division has grown to become the second largest robotics company in the Americas with an installed base of approximately 30,000 units. Its products include robotic automation solutions for virtually every industry and robotic application, including arc welding, assembly, coating, dispensing, material handling, material cutting, material removal and spot welding operations.

The Drives & Motion Division, founded in 1967, provides industrial control and automation products to markets in the Americas. North American based operations include R&D, design and product engineering and two assembly plants producing inverters, servo motors and custom industrial panels. Yaskawa is the world's largest manufacturer of AC drives and motion control products, including adjustable frequency drives, servo amplifiers, servomotors, machine controllers and motion controllers.