ECA Group and iXblue Discussing Merger
French autonomous robotics companies ECA Group and iXblue have entered an exclusive negotiations period to bring the two French companies together and merge, and create "a European high-tech industrial champion in the fields of maritime, inertial navigation, space, and photonics.""Long-standing partners, ECA Group and iXblue benefit from strong technological and commercial synergies. Bringing those two companies together will create a world-class player in the civil and defense sectors. With a unique offer ranging from components to complex systems, the group will provide high-performance solutions for critical missions in harsh environments," the companies said in a statement Monday."Our two companies share the same culture of innovation, agility and entrepreneurship that are at the heart of each of our DNAs and for which we are both recognized and valued," said Fabien Napolitano, President & CEO of iXblue. "The new synergies created will not only ensure we keep this DNA but will also strengthen our capacity for innovation by leveraging our complementary expertise. This will allow us to continue to push the technological frontiers and support our customers in their most demanding challenges."©iXblue"The joining of our two companies, which will employ over 1,500 people, offers great growth opportunities," said Dominique Giannoni, CEO of ECA Group. "Once combined, our various technological expertise will greatly help strengthen our leadership positions in our markets, while our complementary geographical footprint will enable us to better serve our customers by being closer to them."ECA Group, a subsidiary of Groupe Gorgé since 1992, specializes in the field of autonomous robotics and integrated systems, particularly in the naval sector. The company provides solutions in the field of naval, land, and air drones. iXblue delivers subsea navigation, photonics, and maritime autonomy solutions in both the civil and defense markets.