Avtron Industrial Automation, Inc., a leading designer and manufacturer of automation control solutions and services specializing in drive systems and encoders for heavy industry, announced that it has been acquired by Nidec, a global manufacturer of motors and electrical controls systems. Avtron was previously owned by Morgenthaler Private Equity of Cleveland, Ohio. With over 50 years of heavy industry experience Avtron Industrial Automation will play an important role in Nidec’s ACIM (Appliance, Commercial, and Industrial Motor) business growth in the Americas.

"Avtron Industrial Automation has a strong reputation for innovative, high-quality equipment and a highly skilled engineering workforce. Their product range and strength in providing automation systems and high reliability encoder products complement Nidec’s industrial motor market position very well," said Patrick Murphy, Nidec’s ACIM business unit President and CEO. "The Avtron brand is an excellent addition to a full range of Nidec’s motors and drive solutions," he said.

Avtron will continue to sell its drive systems and encoder products and will augment its product offering with complementary products from Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali S.p.A., an Italian drives, motors, and automation-systems company that Nidec acquired in June. Nidec will continue to build on synergies with the Nidec Motor Corporation and other Nidec companies to improve product offerings and solutions for the industrial automation marketplace.

Dennis Anderson, President of Avtron Industrial Automation, added: "The combination of Avtron Industrial Automation with Nidec’s Industrial Motor and Systems business represents an exciting opportunity for accelerated growth. We see terrific potential to broaden our product offering and provide our customers with even more solutions that improve their productivity and profitability. We will also be able to broaden our customer base even further and offer the best products in the industry to customers worldwide."

Avtron Aerospace, Inc. was not part of this transaction and will continue to operate under Avtron Holdings, Inc., owned by Morgenthaler Private Equity. 

Avtron Industrial Automation is a leader and industry technology expert in the design and manufacture of high-reliability drive systems and encoders. Its products are used for improving the productivity of paper machines, steel mill equipment, mining equipment, cranes, oil drilling rigs and wind turbines. It is headquartered in Independence, Ohio.

Founded in 1973, Nidec is a manufacturer and distributor of electric motors and related components and equipment with headquarters Kyoto, Japan. The company provides discrete and variable speed motors and pumps, electronic motor controls and other electronic components. Nidec comprises over 170 consolidated and affiliated subsidiaries, with over 100 manufacturing and sales locations in 25 countries with more than 107,000 employees.