ABB to Spin Off World's Second Biggest Robotics Business

SaaS
Written By Rick Watson

ABB Robotics is a technology leader and provides intelligent automation solutions to help its global customer base achieve improved productivity, flexibility and simplicity to solve operational challenges including labor shortages and the need to operate more sustainably.

During its Q1 earnings call, Swiss automation and industrial group ABB announced that it plans to completely spin-off its ABB Robotics business into a separately publicly listed entity by the second quarter of 2026, with shares in the new company distributed to ABB investors as dividends. This will be the biggest shakeup at ABB since it sold its power grid business to Hitachi in 2018. ABB Robotics does not have synergies with other ABB businesses, but its upside due to labor shortages could be impacted by the current tariffs, as most ABB Robotics customers are in the automotive sector.

Reuters: ABB to spin off world's second biggest robotics business

Rick Watson

Rick Watson founded RMW Commerce Consulting after spending 20+ years as a technology entrepreneur and operator exclusively in the eCommerce industry with companies like ChannelAdvisor, BarnesandNoble.com, Merchantry, and Pitney Bowes.

Watson’s work today is centered on supporting investors and management teams incubating and growing direct-to-consumer businesses. Most recently, in partnership with WHP Global, Rick was a critical resource in architecting the WHP+ platform, a new turnkey direct to consumer digital e-commerce platform that powers AnneKlein.com and JosephAbboud.com.

Watson also hosts a weekly podcast, Watson Weekly, where he shares an unbiased, unfiltered expert take on the retail sector’s biggest players.

In the past year alone, Rick has spoken at many in-person and virtual events as well as podcasts on topics ranging from retail/ecom to supply chain/logistics and even digital grocery including CommerceNext IRL, ASCM Connect, and Retail Innovation Conference.

https://www.rmwcommerce.com/
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