AMADA HOLDINGS CO LTD is now the 100% owner of Finland-based automation system specialist, LKI Käldman Ltd. The relationship between the two began in since the mid-1990s and was enhanced in 2009 when AMADA became a 40% shareholder. This latest development confirms AMADA’s commitment to automation as the key to success in today’s competitive sheet metal market.
“This acquisition creates exciting opportunities, not only for our employees and the company, but for the entire region. We are proud that AMADA has chosen to concentrate its European manufacture of automation systems with us and see this as clear recognition of many years’ hard work. Importantly, the core values of the two companies are closely aligned, focusing on quality, precision, reliability and longevity.”
Greg Seymour, Managing Director of LKI
Demand for fibre laser cutting machines has been growing rapidly in recent years due to the emergence of high-output oscillators and advances in laser technology. In tandem with this trend, automation has become a prerequisite for sheet metal cutting processes in Europe due to factors such as work-hour constraints and increasing labour costs.
As a result of acquiring LKI Käldman, AMADA will be able to accelerate the supply of machines integrated with automation equipment optimised for European customers. Moreover, decision-making will be quicker thanks to closer working relationships, while a further benefit will be the concurrent design, development and manufacture of new technologies.
LKI Käldman is now AMADA Group’s largest manufacturing facility for automation in Europe, with approximately 180 employees. The company is set to change its name with effect from 1 April 2020, when it will become AMADA Automation Europe Ltd.
Moving forward, the renamed company, now a wholly-owned subsidiary, will supply all of AMADA’s automated equipment for the European market. By 2022, it is hoped that strengthening of the manufacturing facilities at Bennäs, on Finland’s west coast, will serve to double the production output capacity of automation equipment.
With headquarters located in Kanagawa, Japan, the global AMADA Group comprises approximately 100 companies and 10,000 employees. Building these foundations with LKI in Europe helps AMADA Group towards its target of becoming a centenary company, an ambition it is due to reach in 2046.
