TPT January 2013

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Industry News
18 January 2013
Aicon acquires 3D metrology
company Breuckmann
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.
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
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.
Breuckmann GmbH – Germany
Fax: +49 7532 43 46 50
Email:
Website:
Exhibitors ‘highly satisfied’
following EuroBLECH 2012
AFTER five successful exhibition days
at the Hanover exhibition grounds,
EuroBLECH 2012, the 22nd 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
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
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: