Bystronic expands laser product field through acquisition of Rofin

Swiss mechanical engineering company Bystronic will acquire Coherent's Materials Processing Tools business unit and its Rofin laser brand in order to expand its business into the fields of medical devices, semiconductors, and general manufacturing.

Bystronic is diversifying its business interests. As detailed in a company statement, the mechanical engineering company, which operates out of Zurich and Niederönz in the canton of Bern, is acquiring the Tools for Materials Processing business unit from the US firm Coherent, which is based in Saxonburg in the US State of Pennsylvania. The headquarters of this business unit with around 400 employees are located in Gilching on the western outskirts of Munich. No details regarding the purchase price have been disclosed.

With this takeover deal, Bystronic is also acquiring the rights to the recognized Rofin brand, which will continue to operate in the newly created Bystronic Rofin business unit. Rofin expands the laser portfolio of Bystronic through the inclusion of new applications such as micromachining, marking, labelling and drilling. According to the information, Bystronic Rofin’s laser technologies now enable the processing of a wide variety of materials, from metals, glass and ceramics all the way through to polymers and organic materials.

Rofin was founded in 1975 in Hamburg, before being acquired in 1987 by Siemens and then hived off again in 1996. Over the years, Rofin has acquired laser manufacturers such as DILAS Diodenlaser, Baasel Lasertech, Z-Laser, Corlase Oy, and Optoskand. In 2016, Rofin was bought out by Coherent.

Bystronic, a globally active provider of sheet metal processing solutions including laser cutting systems, press brakes and welding, expects that the acquisition will open up synergies in procurement as well as contributing additional expertise in terms of research and development. Furthermore, the acquisition is intended to support the company’s efforts aimed at expanding into other attractive growth markets, such as medical devices, semiconductors and general manufacturing.

“Through the acquisition of the Tools for Materials Processing business unit, we are expanding into adjacent applications in attractive growth markets”, comments Bystronic CEO Domenico Iacovelli. “This acquisition is an excellent technological and cultural fit for us, and I am excited to welcome the employees and customers of Bystronic Rofin”. 

Source: swiss-export