Milwaukee-headquartered digital transformation company Rockwell Automation has acquired Ontario-based Clearpath Robotics, including its research division and industrial division Otto Motors, which provides autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to the materials handling sector.

Rockwell Automation CEO Blake Moret explains the acquisition “marks a turning point” for the company and its customers.

“Rockwell is simplifying and transforming the difficult yet critical function of material handling throughout the manufacturing plant with an end-to-end production logistics solution,” Moret adds. “Production logistics is key to optimising operations across an entire facility and bringing the Connected Enterprise to life.”

Rockwell Automation says research shows the AMR market in the manufacturing sector is expected to grow by 30% annually over the next five years, with an estimated market size of USD6.2 billion by 2027.