Dahaher Motion has been shopping again and has bought the US motion control expert Motion Engineering (MEI) and the German linear motion specialist, Neff. No financial details have been released for either deal.

California-based MEI focuses on supplying the high-volume OEM market and has an installed base of 35,000 axes. Its SynqNet suite integrates multi-axis motion control functions with I/O, user interfaces, and process control, in a single PC environment. It also offers a motion network said to provide "true plug-and-play communications" between controllers, drives and I/O.

John Stroup, Danaher Motion`s group executive, says that MEI will add "a strategic component" to Danaher`s portfolio. "In addition to their leadership in PC-based motion control products and network technology, MEI also has strong relationships with several leading OEM machine-builders in Japan, which will help us to strengthen our sales and marketing efforts in this important manufacturing region," he adds.

Phil Strong, MEI`s chief executive, will head Danaher`s newly formed Motion Control Systems Centre of Excellence, in California.

Danaher says that "by and large" the MEI products do not clash with its existing PAM and ServoStar MC control systems, which are strong in specific vertical markets. It sees Delta Tau and Galil as being MEI`s main rivals.

Danaher`s acquisition of Neff builds on a long-standing relationship between the companies, under which Neff has used Danaher`s Kollmorgen servo motors and drives, combined with its own linear products, to offer complete motion systems. Neff`s portfolio includes ballscrews, leadscrews, worm gear screwjacks, linear actuators and stages.

Danaher says that these products will complement its own Thomson linear motion products. Neff, founded in 1905, employs about 120 people at its headquarters in Waldenbruch, Germany.