Rockwell buys safety and automation business of CEDES

The CEDES safety and automation business is headquartered in Landquart, Switzerland, with sales offices primarily across Europe. The business unit being acquired includes products, technology, development engineering, marketing, sales and distribution to serve the industrial safety and automation markets.

Steve Eisenbrown, senior vice president of Rockwell Automation, says: "As the global leader in the process and machine safety market, Rockwell Automation's acquisition of the CEDES safety and automation business will enhance a strategic segment within our product portfolio. Optoelectronic safety sensors, which include light curtains, are one of the largest product segments of the machine safety market. This acquisition will expand our comprehensive breadth of competitive machine safety products for our customers worldwide."

Beat De Coi, chairman and founder of CEDES, says: "For 20 years we have specialised in developing innovative optical sensor technologies for a wide range of applications including industrial safety and automation markets. Combining these capabilities with Rockwell Automation's global leadership in industrial automation control and information systems will enable more manufacturers around the world to help protect their workers from machinery and equipment accidents."

Subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, Rockwell Automation expects the transaction to be completed within the second quarter of 2008. After the acquisition is complete, customers can continue to purchase products through the current distribution network for CEDES safety and automation business. As products become available under the Allen-Bradley brand, customers will also be able to purchase them through the Rockwell Automation distribution network.