Ambienta, a European private equity fund for sustainability, acquired 100% from 1st Vision, as it is a relevant company in the distribution of image processing systems and other imaging products, especially in the North American market.

With this transaction, 1st Vision becomes part of the Next Imaging platform, a project that the Ambienta fund launched in December 2018 after the acquisition of Image S, a group that sells artificial vision and imaging products in Italy and Europe.

The image processing systems, the press release states, “represent a key component of industry 4.0. in regards to sustainability Ambienta is looking for, since they enable better use of resources, increases the efficiency of the production process with a resulting reduction in waste, and optimization of the use of materials”.

In this context, in 2019 Next Imaging contributed to reducing food waste by approximately 14,400 tons, equivalent to the annual food consumption of approximately 28,000 people

Therefore, the acquisition of 1st Vision part of Next Imaging’s strategic plan, with which Next Imaging can enter the North American market and become a key player on an international level.

Ambienta acquired 1st Vision directly from the founders, and simultaneously, Mike Troiano, a manager with consolidated international business experience and vision systems expert, was appointed CEO of the company.

Source: financecommunity.it

Vehicles sales in China plunged 18 percent from a year ago to 1.94 million units in January 2020, the 19th consecutive month of decline, amid Lunar New Year holidays and the coronavirus outbreak. Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs), including plug-in hybrids, battery-only electric vehicles and those powered by hydrogen fuel cells, tumbled 54.4 percent, the seventh consecutive month of falls. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said auto sales and production will be highly affected by the Corona epidemic.

Companies, analysts and investors are struggling to assess the financial toll of the virus, with the number of infections rising by the day. Carmakers are particularly vulnerable because Hubei province (Wuhan) is China’s fourth-largest auto-making hub and home to factories of companies ranging from Dongfeng Motor Corp. to Honda Motor Co. and General Motors Co.

Automakers probably will dial back production by 15% in China this quarter after extending holiday shutdowns because of the virus.

Industry sales fell 8.2% last year, pressured by new emission standards in a shrinking economy and trade tension with the United States.

In the past, a slow-down of automotive sales numbers led to delayed release dates of new models and thus to postponed investments in new manufacturing equipment. Therefore, we are still waiting for the automotive sector to contribute to a recovery of the Machine Vision market towards notable growth rates.

Sources: Reuters & Bloomberg

Enis Ersü, owner and CEO of the German Machine Vision module and system OEM ISRA Vision announced his plans to transfer his shares to Atlas Copco.

The market capitalization of ISRA Vision surged from 0.73 to 1.11 bn€ within minutes. For the first three quarters of 2019, ISRA Vision reported a converted total revenue of 134.5 m$ and an operating income of 28.5 m$.

Atlas Copco has already secured approx. 35 percent via irrevocable undertakings from major shareholder Enis Ersü and further members of the ISRA management and supervisory board as well as via a share purchase agreement with an institutional investor.

In 2018, Atlas Copco has acquired ISRA Vision’s competitor QUISS. For 2019, the Swedish group reported a converted total turnover of 11 bn$ and an operating income of 2.3 bn$.
It has a preference for a sweet spot in the Machine Vision value chain beyond the commoditizing component business on a higher integrated module and system level.

Read ISRA Vision’s press release here.

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