Siemens completes its purchase of ebm-papst’s drives business
1 July 2025 
Siemens has completed its acquisition of ebm-papst‘s Industrial Drive Technology (IDT) division, which was announced in March 2024. Siemens says the acquisition complements its Xcelerator portfolio, strengthening its position as a supplier of flexible manufacturing automation systems.
It adds that integrating the business into its existing portfolio and taking advantage of Siemens’ global sales network will open up new markets and significant business potential for IDT in the field of intelligent, battery-powered drive and robot systems.
IDT has about 650 employees at sites in Germany (St Georgen and Lauf an der Pegnitz) and Romania (Oradea). Its portfolio includes intelligent, integrated mechatronic systems, as well as driving systems. They are used to power driverless transport systems that move goods and materials in industrial environments
Siemens has taken on all of IDT’s employees. The two parties have agreed to not disclose the price paid for the business.
ebm-papst will now focus mainly on its fans and blowers business.
In the future, Siemens will market the former ebm-papst portfolio under the Mechatronic Systems name. There are two main variants: the Simotics E-1EE1 brushless internal rotors, suitable for battery-powered conveying, storage and sorting systems; and the compact, efficient Simotics E-1EV1 brushless outrunners, aimed at intralogistics applications. They will be available in 24V or 48V versions.
The portfolio also includes transmission systems, which are only available with Simotics E motors. A steering system called Simotics E ArgoDrive driver, allows safe, precise omnidirectional control of AGVs, even when carrying heavy loads.
“The new portfolio elements significantly expand and enhance our offerings to customers who want to automate and digitalise their production processes in smart factories” says Achim Peltz, CEO of Siemens Digital Industries’ Motion Control Business. “Our integrated mechatronic drive systems offer increased flexibility, productivity and efficiency in the growing global market for conveyor and autonomous transport systems, including mobile robots, driverless transport systems and shuttles.”
These systems also support Siemens’ sustainability goals by providing energy-efficient technologies and helping to create flexible, scalable and secure digital factories. In conjunction with software-based automation, where automation components are enhanced with IT and software, these IDT technologies represent another step towards adaptive production – and another element in Siemens’ strategy to connect the real and digital worlds.
