Britain’s Cobham plc yesterday said it has acquired Germany’s Telerob GmbH, a privately-owned manufacturer of bomb disposal robots and threat response vehicles, for $105 million cash.
The ground robots are a first for Cobham in terms of its own production systems as the company currently provides datalinks for robots.
Cobham said it will integrate its technology into Telerob’s systems, including communications equipment and sensors that it already provides for the explosive ordnance disposal market along with specialty cameras. The company said its combination of sensors and equipment and robots will enable more distinct and competitive systems.
“Telerob brings distinctive explosive ordnance device technology and international routes to market that are highly complementary to ours,” Andy Stevens, Cobham’s CEO, said in a statement. “This acquisition will enable us to enhance the product range we can offer to homeland security markets.”
Telerob makes medium and heavyweight EOD robots and response vehicles designed to deal with nuclear, biological and chemical threats mainly for homeland security markets.
Telerob has 720 systems in 55 countries, including 20 NATO countries. Its systems are also operating in Asia and the Middle East. In the United States Telerob bomb disposal robots are used by law enforcement agencies in Atlanta and Phoenix. Cobham hopes to sell additional systems into the United States, a company spokesman said.
Telerob has 80 employees, half of which are involved in research and development. Telerob will become part of Cobham’s Mission Equipment business unit.