GENERAL NEWS
LORCH ’ s SeamPilot cobot .
From left to right : The LORCH / DAIHEN Corporation press conference at SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN in Essen , Germany , where the acquisition was announced .
DAIHEN CORPORATION acquires LORCH
DAIHEN CORPORATION , a provider of welding and robotics technologies , recently announced the acquisition of LORCH , a welding equipment company based in Germany , Auenwald . The DAIHEN Corporation is a globally active group with over 3,800 employees and an annual turnover of approximately € 1.2 billion .
This strategic acquisition marks a milestone in the history of both companies and opens new opportunities for long-term growth and collaboration . The decision to acquire is seen by both sides as a partnership for long-term expansion in Europe .
“ The acquisition of LORCH into the DAIHEN Group represents a significant strategic step for us in our market presence in Europe and beyond ,” explained Shoichiro Minomo , CEO and President of the DAIHEN Group .
“ The aim is to continue to supply our customers with innovative and smart welding technology solutions ‘ Made in Germany ’ in the coming years and to create a long-term perspective for our employees . The takeover by DAIHEN
Right : Wolfgang Grüb , managing partner of Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH .
Corporation as a strategic investor for Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH therefore offers both sides far-reaching growth potential ,” added Wolfgang Grüb , managing partner of Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH .
Additionally , the acquisition paves the way for a new era at LORCH as it transitions from being a family-owned business to joining a global corporation . LORCH ’ s current management team ; workforce ; foreign subsidiaries ; dealer network and the LORCH brand will remain unchanged , ensuring continuity and commitment to its customers .
LORCH currently maintains a network of over 400 sales partners across Europe , with a strong presence in Germany . With the integration of DAIHEN ’ s technology , the collaboration between LORCH and DAIHEN aims to provide enhanced value to European customers and LORCH ’ s partners . This includes the introduction of new welding systems designed to reduce the weight of electric vehicle ( EV ) bodies and advanced welding equipment designed to significantly enhance the productivity of welding thick plates commonly used in applications such as steel frames , construction machinery and wind power generation .
DAIHEN has a robust distribution network of more than 1,100 companies held by DAIHEN sales subsidiaries in nine locations around the world , including Japan and Asia .
Closer collaboration in welding automation , particularly on robotics , is also intended . DAIHEN ’ s provision of arc welding robots to LORCH facilitates the advance of automation in Europe . DAIHEN ’ s arc welding robots can be made available to customers through LORCH ’ s sales partners . Additionally , DAIHEN will share its automation expertise in Europe , actively supporting LORCH and its customers in exploring new business fields . Both companies will also enforce synergies in welding technology product development .
“ By collaborating with Lorch , DAIHEN Group will gain a leading share of the European welding machine and arc welding robot market and increase sales in Europe to over 150- million euros by 2026 ,” concluded Shoichiro Minomo . n
www
. daihen . co . jp / en /
www . lorch . eu
Italian machine tool manufacturing
About 200 Italian companies exhibited at EMO HANNOVER 2023 , the global exhibition dedicated to metalworking machine tools that took place in Germany this September .
“ With 400 enterprises and 35,000 employees , the Italian machine tool manufacturing industry takes fourth place in the production , exports and consumption rankings ,” confirmed the Economic Studies Department & Business Culture Centre of the UCIMU association . “ In 2022 , Italian production of machine tools , robots and automation systems achieved new records for almost all main indicators : production grew to over 7.3 billion euros (+ 15 %), consumption to 6.3 billion euros (+ 26 %) and exports to 3.5 billion euros (+ 8.5 %).”
In 2023 , according to UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE ( the Italian machine tools , robots and automation systems manufacturers ’ association ), the positive trend should continue : Italian production in the sector should reach 7.8 billion euros (+ 6.5 %), consumption should reach 6.8 billion euros (+ 8.3 %) and exports should reach 3.6 billion euros (+ 3.7 %). In the near future , it believes , overseas markets could drive the business of Italian companies .
“ Participating in EMO is even more important today than in the past . This is because the reorganisation of value chains and their shortening ( due to the geopolitical instability that we are currently experiencing ) clearly make markets in the region more interesting and rich in Barbara Colombo . opportunities . These markets ( such as Germany , France , Poland and Turkey ) are well represented among visitors . Taking part in EMO means being able to meet the users in these countries , as well as those coming from the United States and Asia ,” commented Barbara Colombo , UCIMU ’ s President . n
www . ucimu . it
8 | ismr . net | ISMR October 2023