Rockwell Automation, an industrial automation and digital transformation company, has signed an agreement to acquire Canada-based Clearpath Robotics, a leader in autonomous robotics for industrial applications.

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are the next frontier in industrial automation and transformation, and this acquisition will supercharge Rockwell’s lead in bringing the connected enterprise to life.

Transporting parts and materials to assembly lines and between manufacturing cells is one of the industry’s most complex and inefficient tasks, often resulting in production bottlenecks.

Autonomous production logistics will transform the workflow throughout a manufacturing plant, enabling substantial reductions in cost and greater operational efficiency.

Clearpath’s OTTO Motors Division offers AMRs and fleet management and navigation software, which help increase throughput and reduce costs by ensuring components and subassemblies are in place when needed and by transporting finished goods to a truck or warehouse upon completion.

Combined with Rockwell’s strong continuing partnerships in fixed robotic arms, solutions such as Independent Cart Technology, and traditional leadership in programmable logic controllers (PLCs), the addition of OTTO Motors’ AMR capabilities will create a complete portfolio of advanced material handling solutions unmatched in the industry.

This acquisition will be funded by a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Rockwell’s investment in PTC.

According to Interact Analysis, the market for AMRs in manufacturing is expected to grow about 30 per cent per year over the next five years, with an estimated market size of $6.2 billion by 2027.