The ABB Robotics product portfolio contains the OmniCore controller. Supply: ABB
One of many world’s largest industrial automation suppliers is altering house owners. ABB Group at present mentioned it’s divesting its ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation division to SoftBank Group Corp. for $5.375 billion.
The Zurich-based firm had introduced plans to spin off the unit throughout an earnings name in April. On the time, it famous that orders and revenues had fallen sharply from 2023 to early 2025.
With 2024 revenues of $2.3 billion, ABB Group mentioned ABB Robotics represented about 7% of its revenues and had an operational EBITDA (earnings earlier than curiosity, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) margin of 12.1%. The division has about 7,000 staff, whereas ABB mentioned it has a complete of about 110,000 worldwide.
ABB Robotics’ U.S. headquarters and manufacturing unit are in Auburn Hills, Mich. In March, it mentioned it deliberate to speculate $120 million in increasing manufacturing within the U.S. The corporate’s portfolio contains industrial automation, force- and power-limited robotic arms, and autonomous cellular robots (AMRs) acquired with ASTI Cellular Robotics for $191 million in 2021.
“SoftBank’s supply has been rigorously evaluated by the board and govt committee and in contrast with our authentic intention for a spin-off,” acknowledged Peter Voser, chairman of ABB. “It displays the long-term strengths of the division, and the divestment will create rapid worth to ABB shareholders.”
“ABB will use the proceeds from the transaction according to its well-established capital allocation ideas,” he added. “Our ambitions for ABB are unchanged, and we’ll proceed to deal with our long-term technique, constructing on our main positions in electrification and automation.”
SoftBank beefs up robotics portfolio — once more
“SoftBank’s subsequent frontier is bodily AI,” asserted Masayoshi Son, chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group. “Along with ABB Robotics, we’ll unite world-class expertise and expertise below our shared imaginative and prescient to fuse synthetic tremendous intelligence and robotics —driving a groundbreaking evolution that may propel humanity ahead.”
Not solely has SoftBank invested in robotics firms, however it has additionally owned a number of through the years, with blended outcomes. The Tokyo-based firm‘s robotics unit additionally produces the Whiz ground cleaner.
SoftBank acquired humanoid service robotic maker Aldebaran Robotics for $100 million in 2012, rebranded it as SoftBank Robotics in 2016, and offered it as SoftBank Robotics Europe to United Robotics Group in 2022. In June 2025, Aldebaran went into receivership.
In 2018, SoftBank invested $375 million in Zume Pizza, which shut down two years later. In 2019, it gave Nuro.ai $940 million, and the driverless supply automobile maker reached a $6 billion valuation in August 2025.
SoftBank acquired legged robotic developer Boston Dynamics from Alphabet in 2017 and offered it to Hyundai Motor Group for $880 million in 2021.
As well as, SoftBank took a 40% stake in warehouse automation supplier AutoStore for $2.2 billion in 2021. In 2023, SoftBank merged with Berkshire Gray in a money deal price about $375 million.
“SoftBank can be a superb new residence for the enterprise and its staff,” mentioned Morten Wierod, ABB CEO. “ABB Robotics will profit from the mix of its main expertise and deep trade experience with SoftBank’s state-of-the-art capabilities in AI, robotics and next-generation computing.”
Editor’s word: RoboBusiness 2025, which can be subsequent week in Santa Clara, Calif., will function tracks on bodily AI, design and growth, enabling applied sciences, enterprise, subject robotics, and humanoids.
Ali Raja, managing director of automation for industries, and Thomas-Tianwei Wang, lead AI utility engineer at ABB Robotics, can be among the many audio system. Register now to attend.
Firm to restructure after ABB Robotics sale
Because of the sale of its robotics division, ABB plans modify its reporting construction and transfer to 3 enterprise areas within the fourth quarter of 2025. As introduced in April, the corporate will transfer its Machine Automation division from the robotics group into its Course of Automation one.
ABB Group mentioned the divestment of the robotics division will lead to a non-operational pre-tax ebook acquire of roughly $2.4 billion with anticipated money proceeds, internet of transaction prices, of about $5.3 billion. It expects separation prices of round $200 million, about half of which was already included in its 2025 steerage. ABB estimated transaction-related money tax outflows for native enterprise carve-out of $400 million to $500 million.
The businesses mentioned they anticipate the transaction to shut, topic to regulatory approvals and customary closing circumstances, in mid-to-late 2026. The Robotic Report has reached out to ABB for additional remark, and we’ll replace this text when and if we hear again.
President Sami Atiya to go away
ABB additionally introduced that Sami Atiya, president of its Robotics & Discrete Automation enterprise space and a member of its govt committee, will go away ABB by the tip of 2026. He’ll step down from ABB’s govt committee on the finish of 2025 and can proceed to assist the robotics enterprise and the carve-out course of in 2026 as a strategic advisor.
“It has been an honor to serve ABB, and I wish to thank our staff in addition to clients for the shut partnership since I joined ABB,” Atiya mentioned. “I’m satisfied that with the acquisition by SoftBank, our robotics enterprise can be in wonderful fingers, making a platform for development that may profit from the quite a few alternatives in automation and AI that we’re seeing throughout many industries and geographies.”
Wierod added: “Since becoming a member of ABB nearly 10 years in the past, Sami has performed an instrumental position in constructing a robotics enterprise that covers all the things from industrial robots to state-of-the-art collaborative and autonomous cellular robots, backed by a few of the most superior software program and AI options.”
Sami Atiya is stepping down as president of ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation. Supply: ABB Group
