Bystronic is increasing its existing 70% stake in Italy-based Antil S.p.A. and acquiring the remaining 30% minority stake. Bystronic is thus strengthening its portfolio in the field of automation in accordance with its Strategy 2025.

Flexible manufacturing aligned with automated material handling and data flow is key to the productivity of Bystronic’s customers in the sheet metal processing industry. In the summer of 2018, the company acquired 70% of the family-owned company Antil S.p.A. in San Giuliano Milanese (Province of Milan) in northern Italy. Since then, Bystronic has integrated Antil’s operations, doubled sales to approximately CHF 40 million at good profitability and increased the number of employees from 110 to 200.

Since the beginning of the year, the demand for automation solutions for laser cutting systems has boomed. Effective at the end of November, Bystronic acquired the remaining minority stake of 30% for around CHF 13 million, in order to further increase customer proximity and expand the market.

Antil’s portfolio includes loading and unloading laser cutting and punching systems, automated sheet metal storage systems, and robot-assisted bending solutions for the gold segment. In Italy, Bystronic also operates its Group-wide competence center for automation solutions.

Alex Waser, Bystronic CEO, said: “Automation is one of the core drivers of growth for both our customers and our own business. With this acquisition, we are strengthening our portfolio in this crucial field and will thus be able to even more effectively address our customers’ needs.

“Based on our Strategy 2025, we will offer our systems in all market segments, and over the coming months, we will leverage Antil’s know-how to develop additional automation solutions for the silver and entry-level segment in China.”