Los Angeles – January 23, 2024 – An affiliate of Angeles Equity Partners, LLC (“Angeles”), a private investment firm focused on value creation through operational transformation, today announced the acquisition of Acieta LLC (“Acieta”), a Midwest-based industrial robotics manufacturer and integrator, from Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. (“Mitsui”). This transaction marks the fourth strategic acquisition by Angeles in the robotics integration sector, complementing its current platform consisting of RōBEX, Mid-State Engineering, and +Vantage. Acieta further expands the business’ equipment tending, welding, and palletizing capabilities across a broader set of end markets including agriculture, foundry and die, welding and fabrication, and construction and building products.
Headquartered in Waukesha, WI, Acieta is a full-service automation solutions provider with significant systems, controls, and software engineering capabilities developed since its inception in 1983. Over the past 40 years, with over 5,500 installed robots, the company has cultivated an outstanding reputation in the industrial automation field for its innovative technology and first-rate team. In addition, Acieta has built a large standard products business, which is a differentiated offering among systems integrators.
Acieta CEO Robby Komljenovic expressed his enthusiasm about the transaction.
“Our team is eager to help build what we believe is the country’s most technically capable and experienced automation systems integrator,” said Komljenovic. “This combination is designed to provide our customers an expanded reach, additional resources, and what we view as unmatched industry experience to advise on optimizing all processes to maximize returns on their robotic equipment investments.”
This transaction represents another key step in Angeles’ strategy to build a scaled robotics integration platform with an expanded manufacturing footprint within critical domestic markets and a broader focus on providing a robust array of robotic applications to a more diverse group of customers. Acieta’s combined ~67,000 square-foot manufacturing capacity, located in Council Bluffs, IA and Waukesha, WI, will continue to operate. Combined with the business’ existing ~140,000 square-foot manufacturing operations, the integrated company offers customers significant capacity, products, and services.
“We are excited about the combination of these two great companies and believe in the ongoing growth trajectory of this industry,” said Sam Heischuber, managing director at Angeles Equity Partners. “As the manufacturing and logistics sectors continue to face labor shortages, higher wages, intensifying global competition, and increased manufacturing complexity, the need for a sophisticated, robotics automation systems integrator with a national presence should only increase.”
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP served as legal advisor for Angeles, and Lincoln International LLC provided transaction advisory services to Acieta. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About Angeles Equity Partners, LLC
Angeles Equity Partners, LLC is a specialist lower middle-market private equity investment firm with a consistent approach that seeks to transform underperforming industrial businesses. The Angeles skill set drives the firm’s investment philosophy and, in its view, can help businesses reach their full potential. Learn more online at www.angelesequity.com.