TPT January 2013

Industry News

Aicon acquires 3D metrology company Breuckmann

of Aicon 3D Systems, commented, “For Aicon the acquisition of Breuckmann is a worthwhile investment into the future. Now, as full-range supplier of 3D metrology systems with more than 100 highly qualified employees, we are on course for further success.” Aicon 3D Systems is a leading provider of optical camera-based 3D measurement systems. The company, founded in 1990, develops and distributes systems for the business areas of inspection and testing including car safety and tube inspection. The company’s reference list includes automotive manufacturers and suppliers, companies from the aerospace industry, and the areas of shipbuilding and renewable energies.

Based on a patented fringe projection technique, the 3D digitisation and measuring systems developed and manufactured by Breuckmann are characterised by fast data acquisition time, together with a high standard of adherence to detail, even in the case of highly complex surface geometries. Applications are predominantly found in the fields of technical and industrial engineering, but also in the context of human body measurements as well as arts and culture. For Aicon the future cooperation in development, production and sales will open opportunities for economic growth and profitability. Subsidiaries in Asia and America, global dealer networks and two convenient locations in Germany – Braunschweig in Lower Saxony and Meersburg in Baden- Wuerttemberg – offer further synergy potential. Dr Carl-Thomas Schneider and Dr Werner Bösemann, managing directors employees has increased by 20 per cent. There were, once again, more visitors from the top management, and 40 per cent of all visitors came to EuroBLECH 2012 with the definite intention of buying. “A first analysis of the exhibitor survey shows that exhibiting companies were highly satisfied with the outcome of the exhibition, even though the current economic situation remains uncertain. However, German exhibitors assessed the business climate as much more favourable than companies from outside Germany,” said Nicola Hamann, exhibition director EuroBLECH, on behalf of the organisers, Mack Brooks Exhibitions. The exhibitor survey shows that the main reason for exhibiting at EuroBLECH 2012 was to approach new markets, attracting new customers and product presentation; and exhibiting companies have achieved these objectives. Against the background of the

AICON 3D Systems GmbH has taken over 80 per cent of Breuckmann GmbH, Meersburg, Germany. Austrian voestalpine Group, which had held the major interests in Breuckmann, sealed the treaty with Aicon in August 2012. Dr Bernd Breuckmann, the founder and former owner-manager who retired from active business in April 2012, still holds 20 per cent of shares in the company, and the Breuckmann GmbH brand will remain unchanged. Breuckmann GmbH is a manufacturer of high-value optical systems for contact-free measurement, digitisation and inspection in three dimensions. The company, founded in 1986, has approximately 40 employees. Since 1995 Aicon and Breuckmann have been in close collaboration. As the Breuckmann product range completes the Aicon portfolio, the merging offers the possibility to operate in the market as a full-range supplier of 3D metrology systems. AFTER five successful exhibition days at the Hanover exhibition grounds, EuroBLECH 2012, the 22 nd International Sheet Metal Working Technology Exhibition, closed its doors on Saturday, 27 October 2012. On a net exhibition space of 84,000 square metres, a total of 1,520 exhibitors from 39 countries presented a top-class range of innovative products for the complete sheet metal working chain. With 60,500 trade visitors from all over the world, the number of visitors at EuroBLECH 2012 equals the visitor number of the previous exhibition, while the number of exhibitors at this year’s show had grown by 5 per cent and the floor space by 7 per cent. The first analysis of the visitor survey showed a significant shift towards highly qualified trade visitors. Some 75 per cent of the visitors came from the industry, and the percentage of visitors from companies with more than 500

Breuckmann GmbH – Germany Fax: +49 7532 43 46 50 Email: info@breuckmann.com Website: www.breuckmann.com

Exhibitors ‘highly satisfied’ following EuroBLECH 2012

prevailing business climate, they were extremely positive about their participation at the show. EuroBLECH 2012 received excellent values from exhibitors and visitors alike in particular for the large number of innovations presented at the show and for its high internationality. Almost half of the exhibitors (48 per cent) and 36 per cent of the visitors at this year’s EuroBLECH came from outside Germany. Other countries in attendance, after Germany, were Italy, Turkey, China, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, France and the USA. Top visitor countries from outside Germany were Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Great Britain, Italy, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Poland and India. EuroBLECH 2014 will take place from21 to 25 October 2014 at the Hanover exhibition grounds.

EuroBLECH Website: www.euroblech.com

18

www.read-tpt.com

J anuary 2013