In March 2024, igus acquired a majority stake in Atronia Tailored Sensing, a company based in Portugal. Over the past five years, this sensor specialist has enabled igus’s engineering plastics products to incorporate sensing capabilities successfully. Through this strategic acquisition, igus aims to expand its product diversity in the smart engineering plastics components market. The ultimate goal is to achieve scalable production of Industry 4.0 products, making them accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Industry 4.0 technologies such as networking, automation, and artificial intelligence are enhancing productivity, flexibility, and equipment safety globally. Consequently, igus has long been committed to investing in the research and innovation of “smart plastics,” which integrate sensors into sliding bearings, cable carriers, and cables linked to the Internet of Things. Intelligent predictive maintenance software calculates optimal maintenance times and promptly alerts technicians via email and SMS in critical situations to prevent costly system failures. Atronia Tailored Sensing has partnered with igus for approximately five years to develop these smart plastics, enhancing their ability to perceive and monitor the current state of igus products.
“This strategic decision aims to achieve scalable production of sensor products for Industry 4.0.”
“Through the acquisition of Atronia, we aim to streamline processes, systems, and teams between the two companies, leading to long-term synergies and increased efficiency,” said Michael Blass, CEO of igus’s cable carrier systems. “This allows us to initiate mass production of Industry 4.0 products and make them accessible to budget-constrained, less-experienced small and medium-sized enterprises.” Carlos Alexandre Ferreira, head of Atronia Tailored Systems, added, “igus’s acquisition of Atronia promises extensive collaboration, undoubtedly bringing more breakthrough innovations and higher levels of technological integration.”
The first collaborative product: Lifetime sensor for cable carriers
igus and Atronia first met at the Sensor + Test Measurement Fair in Nuremberg, Germany, in 2019, due to their adjacent exhibition booths. “After initial technical exchanges, we quickly realized that both companies shared a vision for seamless Industry 4.0,” said Richard Habering, head of igus’s smart plastics division. This led to their first joint project: the EC.W sensor (electronic components developed by Atronia), which mounts on the crossbars of cable carriers to monitor the running condition and remaining lifespan of the cable carrier sidebands. Priced at just 259 euros (excluding taxes), this sensor is significantly more economical than other predictive maintenance products on the market. “Customer feedback for this cost-effective and intuitive sensor has been excellent,” said Habering. “As a result, we decided to deepen our collaboration with Atronia.” Currently, the company produces several hundred i.Cee series modules for igus in Portugal. These modules enable users to analyze sensor data from anywhere in the world via connected panels, thereby maximizing product lifespan and improving maintenance planning.
“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with sensor expert Atronia to introduce more groundbreaking innovative products in the future.”
