Omron to acquire US-based motion control company

With headquarters in Chatsworth, California, DT is a control device company in the United States. This acquisition is part of OMRON’s strategy to promote its development of factory automation technology and strengthen its sales capability in the control device business. Through the acquisition of DT, OMRON aims to reinforce its technology development and engineering capabilities in the field of motion control designed to drive manufacturing equipment. Merging products and technologies of both companies will also enable delivery of optimised motion control solutions globally through combined distribution networks.

As a leader in industrial automation, OMRON has extensive lines of control components and equipment, ranging from image-processing sensors and other input devices through various controllers to output devices such as servo drives and servo motors, along with a range of safety devices and in-panel controllers. Combining these products, OMRON continues to offer a wide range of advanced automation solutions to manufacturers worldwide.

In recent years, the manufacturing industry has experienced radical environmental changes, such as the globalisation of markets and shortened product cycles. In the midst of these changes, production sites face rising challenges: improving productivity through increasing machine throughput speed and accuracy, labour-saving through the use of robots, and quality enhancement. To help manufacturers meet these challenges, OMRON has released the NJ/NX series of machine automation controllers that integrate logic, motion, vision, safety and networking functions into a single unit.

Connecting various input and output devices such as vision sensors and servo drives to the NJ/NX controller in a seamless manner enables high-performance motion control that was difficult through conventional PLCs. Centering on the NJ/NX series, OMRON provides manufacturers in the automobile, digital device, food and beverage packaging and other industries with solutions and engineering support.

DT, as a specialist manufacturer of motion controllers, boasts renowned and powerful development and systems integration capabilities that enabled the company to develop, manufacture, and market what is widely recognised as the world’s highest level motion controller, dubbed 'PMAC'. This product is now used mainly by US and Korean producers of semiconductor and LCD manufacturing equipment, machine tools, packaging machines and more.

This acquisition will allow OMRON to combine DT’s PMAC motion controller with its wide range of products and offer new solutions to its customers globally. By leveraging DT’s sales network, equipped with highly skilled engineering capability, OMRON will provide DT’s customers with high-performance solutions comprising OMRON’s control devices and DT’s PMAC. OMRON will also aim to expand applications of its solutions by adopting the high-performance motion control technology that DT has accumulated over many years.

Through the acquisition of DT, OMRON will further advance its leading automation technology. In addition, by promoting manufacturing innovation together with its customers, OMRON will steadily reinforce its industrial automation business, one of the pivotal strategies of OMRON Group’s long-term management strategy, 'Value Generation 2020', as it works to drive further growth for the future.