Today's Automation News Headlines from Automation.com

December 1, 2011 - Datalogic acquired  PPT Vision, Inc., a U.S. company which has been present in the machine vision market for nearly 30 years. The value of the transaction is equal to 5.2 million USD and the acquisition has been financed with existing internal resources. PPT Vision generated approximately 6 million USD in revenue with an EBIT and a substantially balanced net income (both equal to -0.3 million USD). The company does not have any financial indebtedness.

PPT Vision develops, produces and markets products and solutions based on smart camera, as well as industrial multi-camera vision systems used in quality control and inspection in the manufacturing industry (machine vision).

 Mauro Sacchetto, Datalogic Group CEO, made the following comments concerning the acquisition:“After our recent agreement for the acquisition of Accu-Sort Systems, which will allow us to double our presence in the field of Industrial Automation, Datalogic continues to seize every opportunity for growth and innovation. In line with the strategy already announced, the acquisition of PPT Vision further strengthens our leadership, providing us with cutting edge technologies which are unique in the field of “machine vision”. In particular, these include a wide range of smart cameras and vision systems which, thanks to original software libraries with sophisticated algorithms and drag&drop configuration tools, allow for the development of highly complex vision applications in a flexible, modular and intuitive way. This technology is compatible with all our industrial business lines which will soon benefit from it. Thanks to this acquisition, Datalogic continues to develop its commercial offers according to new business proposition: not only products, but also solutions and the creation of additional value for our clients, further consolidating its partnership and intimacy.”

 Founded in 1982 and with headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, PPT Vision, Inc. is one of the pioneers in the vision market with over 25,000 installed systems worldwide. The company employs about 30 people, has one R&D center where 4 exclusive patents have been developed, and two application development and support centers, one of which is located in Europe.