FRANKFURT, Germany – The HAHN Group, a provider of factory automation and robotic solutions, announced today it acquired Columbia, S.C.-based REI Automation, effective November 1, 2019. REI Automation will complement the Assembly & Test Division within the HAHN Group, the company said in a statement.

With 80 employees and $25 million in revenue, REI Automation focuses on medical, electronics and consumer goods. The HAHN Group said the acquisition will add a hub in the important industrial area of the Southeastern U.S., and help strengthen its regional coverage here. It is part of a strategy of the German company to diversify its business across industries and regions.

“We found a passionate team with an impressive track record building the company in the past, and ambitious plans to develop it further,” said Philipp Unterhalt, managing director of HAHN Group. “We are ready to support REI Automation on its further journey, and are delighted to have them on board.”

Operations of REI Automation will continue under the existing management, which will also remain as shareholders going forward, the company said. REI Automation designs and builds custom industrial equipment, including assembly lines, robotic cells and special-purpose machines. It has done work for the automotive, medical, nuclear, heavy vehicle, communications, energy, and consumer goods markets.

Grant Phillips, REI Automation

“We are excited to begin planning with a partner who has all the experience in bringing a company to the next level,” said Grant Phillips, CEO of REI Automation. “For REI Automation and its clients, the transaction is a very important step into a reliable and sustainable future.”

HAHN Group is owned by Germany’s largest foundation, RAG-Stiftung, and has almost 1,400 employees in 13 countries. The company last year acquired the assets of Rethink Robotics, and has rebranded the company under the group. Last month, the company named Daniel Bunse as the new CEO of Rethink.