Manitou Group has announced the acquisition of Sitia's robotics division. According to the company, the transaction is aligned with the group's strategic roadmap, underscoring its commitment to establishing robotics as a salient pillar of innovation.
In accordance with the newly unveiled LIFT strategic roadmap presented in late April, Manitou Group is positioning robotics as a foundational element of its innovation strategy by securing acknowledged proficiencies in this domain. A team of seven individuals, including doctoral candidates and engineers, each possessing considerable expertise in the development of robotics, notably having created an autonomous agricultural tractor robot TREKTOR, will integrate into Manitou Group's research and development teams. The acquisition also encompasses the intellectual property of Sitia's robotics division.
Sitia's robotic acumen will enable the group to expedite the development of high value-added products and services, addressing the evolving needs of its clientele within the agricultural and semi-industrial sectors.
With this acquisition, the group is placing robotics at the nucleus of its forthcoming developments and will establish a new "Manitou Group Robotics" division commencing this year. Julien Waechter, vice president of research and development at Manitou Group, said, "Sitia has been a partner with whom we have collaborated for nearly a decade, and which has embarked on its transformation toward cutting-edge robotic activity. Through this acquisition, we shall enrich our capabilities with a team of recognized experts, benefit from proven technological building blocks, coupled with Manitou Group's established know-how. Our aspiration is to thus fortify our leadership position to continue innovating and to advance further in the development of solutions, thereby meeting the evolving expectations of our customers."
Clément Aubry Tardif, director of the Robotics division, said, "We are delighted to dedicate our expertise to the service of a leader in material handling. The team is particularly enthusiastic about the prospect of contributing to Manitou Group's new strategic roadmap."
