The BOWE GROUP, a leading supplier of integrated automation technologies headquartered in Augsburg, Germany, has acquired a majority stake in Solcon Systemtechnik GmbH of Lübeck, Germany. This step will allow the BOWE GROUP to expand its portfolio specifically with high-performance, electronic locating (RTLS) and RFID solutions, which are increasingly in demand in intralogistics and numerous other industries.

Innovative RTLS, RFID and other electronic locating technologies are gaining momentum as core components of the localization (track & trace) solutions uses in IoT to track assets and products in different branches of industry. The need for cost-efficient and high-precision RTLS and GPS solutions is rapidly increasing as various products, such as anti-collision systems, are launched where these are base technologies. Developing such solutions and implementing them in practice is meanwhile Solcon’s number one business segment, and the company has a reputation for innovativeness and technological leadership in this field. Founded in 1992, Solcon has also made a name for itself as a manufacturer of customized industrial PCs for use in particularly harsh or sensitive environments, as well as mobile workstations with multiple configuration options. The investment in Solcon, which was completed in mid-April 2023, gives the BOWE GROUP access to an attractive portfolio of advanced, trendsetting technologies.  

ATTRACTIVE PORTFOLIO EXPANSION
The products and solutions developed by Solcon will strengthen the BOWE GROUP’s expertise when it comes to automation. They make a perfect complement to the range of solutions on offer from BOWE’s BOWE IQ and BOWE INTRALOGISTICS divisions in the areas of auto-ID, track & trace, asset tracking and asset management. The emphasis here is not only on RFID products but also on Solcon’s tracking solutions. For example, a TDoA (Time Difference of Arrival) method developed based on radio travel-time measurements enables very ultra-fast and precise indoor locating. Thanks to this technology, a large number of moving objects can be simultaneously located in real time. Solcon has extensive experience here with customer projects often involving simultaneous locating and monitoring of several hundred industrial trucks. The ability to locate vehicle fleets in the public transport sector is steadily growing importance as an application for Solcon’s locating technologies alongside intralogistics and industrial production processes.

ENORMOUS POTENTIAL SYNERGIES
“This new investment will allow us to expand our portfolio with market-leading solution components that round off and improve the ranges presently available from BOWE IQ and BOWE INTRALOGISTICS. What’s more, Solcon’s technologies have the potential to enhance software solutions from MOV.AI, our associated company for autonomous mobile robots, and make them more efficient with Solcon’s anti-collision system,” said Joachim Koschier, Managing Director of the BOWE GROUP. “In short, this represents the next step in the extension of the BOWE GROUP’s value chain. The engagement with Solcon fits in exactly with our long-term strategy of becoming the single point of contact for customers in all markets we serve.” Solcon Managing Director Georg Frischmuth, who has been with the firm since 2015 and will remain a shareholder, commented that “The BOWE GROUP is a strong partner that will help us increase our presence in the international arena. Our new majority shareholder will support sales, installation and servicing of our solutions in local markets. Furthermore, the BOWE GROUP can provide the resources we need to significantly expand our team in the course of this year, scale capacity quickly when necessary, and successfully implement projects for key international accounts that we’ve been unable to handle in the past.”