Benchmark International Successfully Facilitated the Transaction Between Robotics & Drives Services Limited and Automated Industrial Robotics Inc.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the acquisition of Robotics & Drives Services (RDS) by Automated Industrial Robotics (AIR). The transaction was funded primarily by an additional investment from an Ares Management Private Equity fund.

Founded in 2005 by Ken McNevin, Steven Nolan and Sharon McNevin, RDS is one of Ireland’s largest developers of intelligent robotics solutions in Ireland. With the goal of increasing quality, efficiencies, and competitiveness, the company caters to a large variety of customers across many sectors such as food and beverage, medical devices, personal care, pharmaceutical, and industrial cloud solutions. Supported by approximately 50 team members, RDS operates out of a 32,000 square-foot facility in Mullingar that also serves as an integrated robotics training centre.

Located in Los Angeles, California, AIR is an industrial automation company focused on acquiring and facilitating the growth of leading industrial automation companies serving diverse end markets with strong operational histories and tenured management teams.

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With the addition of RDS and its team of primarily engineers, AIR now has over 500 employees and an automation hub footprint of over 300,000 square feet across the United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom. It has further reinforced its presence in Europe, strengthened its ability to integrate robotics solutions into its automated systems, and added to its product portfolio. In relation to the acquisition of RDS, AIR also appointed Vivian Farrell to the role of President of AIR, Ireland.

AIR executive chairman Brian Klos and chief executive officer Darragh de Stonndún commented: “We see tremendous growth potential in the demand for automated solutions, and we are excited to welcome the RDS team to AIR. We feel a strong sense of alignment with the RDS team and look forward to even greater opportunities for growth as we continue to invest in enhancing our talent, capabilities and innovation.”

Ken McNevin, managing director of RDS, also commented: “We are proud of the leading position RDS has earned in Ireland thanks to our team’s technical expertise and strong customer focus, and we are pleased to join AIR and facilitate RDS’s next phase of development. We are confident that AIR will help our organization further strengthen its customer service and offering, and we are excited to contribute RDS’s unique robotics capabilities for application across the entire AIR organization.”

Alex Cregan, associate director and lead on the transaction at Benchmark International, said: “We wish the very best to Robotics & Drives in its prosperous future with AIR. This partnership will be a significant addition to the AIR group and bring new strengths to Robotics & Drives, allowing it to further grow the company in Mullingar and its reach worldwide. It was a pleasure to work on behalf of the shareholders of RDS.”

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