Exit Strategies Advises Olympus Controls on Sale to Applied
PORTLAND, OR (August 22, 2019) — Exit Strategies Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that Olympus Controls Corp. has been acquired by Applied Industrial Technologies. We represented Olympus and its shareholders as their exclusive M&A advisor.
Established in 1998, Olympus Controls is a leading distributor of world-class machine automation products focused on assemblies and engineered solutions. Olympus specializes in motion control, robotics, machine vision, sensor and IIOT technologies, and is one of the largest and fastest-growing automation technology centers in the U.S., with 80 skilled employees serving 12 Western states from 5 office locations.
Clients look to Olympus Controls for advanced technologies as well as sophisticated application support, electromechanical assembly, custom system design and integration, and software development. Olympus automates machines in many industries including life sciences, pharmaceutical and biotech, semiconductor, electronics and display, food and beverage, warehousing and third-party logistics, cloud services (data centers), packaging, machining/forming/3D printing, aerospace and others.
Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE: AIT) is a leading value-added distributor of power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, flow control solutions and other industrial products, with revenue exceeding $3 billion. The acquisition of Olympus serves to establish an automation technology platform.
Scott Hendrickson, Olympus founder and CEO, noted “The synergy and strategic fit between Applied Industrial Technologies and Olympus Controls was way too strong to overlook. We can instantly leverage our shared client relationships and unique Engineered Solutions business models to make an immediate and impactful dent in the machine automation market. Our team has always had a high degree of respect for Applied’s dominance in the fluid power space and Olympus Controls brings an exciting opportunity for them to strengthen and expand their technology offering in motion control, machine vision, robotics and industrial networking.”
“Engaging Exit Strategies to help us navigate the sale process was a great decision. Al Statz and his team brought a wealth of M&A experience, and provided outstanding advice, service and value from start to finish.” Mr. Hendrickson added.
Exit Strategies is honored to have helped Olympus shareholders and management achieve this outcome. We congratulate both companies and look forward to seeing them innovate and grow in the years ahead.
We see interest in industrial automation and robotics acquisitions, recapitalizations and mergers remaining strong for some time as the industry grows and consolidates. Trends driving growth in automation include the need to improve productivity and quality in the face of scarce skilled labor and rising labor costs, increased use of electronics and internet connectivity in all types of products, continued miniaturization of electronics, rapidly-changing consumer tastes, new warehouse and data center applications, and recent advances in enabling technologies such as vision, 3D sensing and AI. Rising occupancy costs and regulatory requirements are also contributing factors. U.S. Companies have to invest more in automation in order to compete on the global stage, or they risk extinction.
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Exit Strategies is a California-based M&A advisor and business valuation firm serving lower middle market U.S. companies in several industries including automation and robotics distribution, system integration and manufacturing. For further information about Exit Strategies’ services, contact Al Statz at 707-781-8580. Terms of the Olympus-AIT deal will not be disclosed.
