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Mitsubishi buys Iconics and invests in Realtime Robotics

13 May, 2019

Mitsubishi Electric is acquiring the remaining shares in Iconics Inc, the US industrial software developer that focuses on Scada, IoT, mobile, analytics and cloud software products for the manufacturing, industrial and building-automation markets. Mitsubishi has held a 19.9% stake in Iconics since 2011, and the new deal will make the US business a 100% subsidiary. The financial details of the acquisition have not been revealed.

Massachusetts-based Iconics, founded in 1986, has more than 350,000 software installations in more than 100 countries and claims to serve more than 70% of the world’s top 500 companies, automating, monitoring and optimising their assets.

In a separate deal, Mitsubishi is taking an undisclosed stake in Realtime Robotics, a US start-up that is developing motion-planning technologies designed to improve the performance and safety of industrial robots and autonomous vehicles.

By acquiring Iconics, Mitsubishi hopes to enhance its software line-up in areas such as edge computing, by combining Iconics’ software development expertise and technologies, with its own factory automation technologies. The aim is to develop software products that will enhance its e-F@ctory automation concept.

Mitsubishi will offer manufacturers various types of data-handling software products, aimed at helping to improve their productivity and quality. The products will be compatible with its open Edgecross platform which supports edge computing and integration between factory automation and IT systems

A flagship product in Iconics’ software portfolio is its Genesis64 suite of OPC, BACnet, Modbus, SNMP, and Web-enabled HMI and Scada applications

The Iconics acquisition is expected to close by the end of Mitsubishi Electric's fiscal year in March 2020.

Mitsubishi’s injection of funds into Realtime Robotics is expected to accelerate the development of industrial robot systems. Mitsubishi expects to launch new industrial robot systems that integrate the US company’s motion-planning technologies by 2020. Mitsubishi will continue to collaborate with other companies and to enhance its own smart manufacturing technologies.

Realtime Robotics – founded in 2016 – specialises in motion-planning technologies for calculating and determining the optimised path that robots should take to reach a goal without colliding with obstacles. The motion path planning software performs calculations in real time.




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