Recently, SICK announced the acquisition of Dutch high-tech company Accerion on January 27, 2025. Accerion focuses on AI-based image processing technology, especially in the field of mobile robot positioning. This acquisition will help SICK further expand its overall positioning solution product portfolio in industrial automation fields such as logistics and production, and provide customers with more efficient and intelligent automation technology.
Software-driven positioning innovation base
Accerion was founded in the Netherlands in 2015. As a technology startup, it specializes in AI-based image processing to achieve the positioning of autonomous mobile robots. Accerion has released
the world's first camera-based, infrastructure-independent, and industrialized mobile robot ground structure positioning solution to the market through its software-controlled positioning solution
"Triton". Since 2021, SICK has cooperated with Accerion to provide global industrial customers with relevant technical support for accurate positioning and navigation of mobile robots.
Accerion becomes part of the SICK Group
With the acquisition, the entire Accerion product portfolio, together with the development and sales teams, has been transferred to SICK as of January 16, 2025. Product development work at the new
SICK subsidiary "SICK Accerion B.V." will continue at the original production site in Venlo, the Netherlands.
SICK is actively expanding its software portfolio in the field of industrial automation
“We warmly welcome the Accerion team to the SICK family and help us to further strengthen our software portfolio for autonomous mobile robots in the future”, said Dr. Niels Syassen, Member of
the SICK Board of Management for “Technology and Digitalization”. “The market area of sensor solutions for autonomous mobile robots has great growth potential, as industrial companies are
constantly increasing their requirements for reliable and efficient supply chains in terms of throughput, availability, flexibility and safety. In order to effectively support our customers worldwide in their
automation planning, we will continue to develop autonomous sensor solutions and invest in new technologies”, added Dr. Niels Syassen.
Vincent Burg, CEO of Accerion, said: “With a hard-working and dedicated team, we have developed the advanced Triton positioning solution from scratch. Triton now enables high-precision positioning
of thousands of robots around the world. Our close cooperation with SICK has proven that our products and cultures complement each other very well. We are very happy to officially become part of
the SICK family and we hope to use this synergy to promote positioning solutions around the world.”
Autonomous mobile robots – a global growth market segmentThe global market for autonomous mobile robots is worth around 4 billion euros. A growth rate of more than 15% shows that industrial
companies are increasingly relying on autonomous mobile robots in the field of efficiency-driven intralogistics. Modern sensor technology and software solutions for navigation and positioning enable
mobile robots to move safely and reliably in dynamic environments. Autonomous robots must be able to reliably detect their surroundings and people, especially when people are nearby.
SICK is currently one of the leading solution providers in this field. With the acquisition of Accerion, SICK is investing in future growth, further expanding its expertise in software-based applications and
offering its customers a broad portfolio of positioning solutions.
About Accerion (Unconstrained Robotics B.V.):Accerion is a technology startup based in Venlo, the Netherlands, founded in 2015 by Willem-Jan Lamers. Led by Vincent Burg, the Accerion team develops
positioning technology for mobile robots that is completely independent of infrastructure and uses the ground as a reference. With its optical positioning and navigation technologies for autonomous
mobile robots (AMRs), Accerion innovations enable efficient navigation of mobile robots and autonomous industrial vehicles.
