German sensor company SICK and the Swiss measurement and automation technology specialist Endress+Hauser have agreed on a strategic partnership.

Specifically, Endress+Hauser will take over worldwide sales and service of SICK’s process analyzers and gas flowmeters. Moreover, the two companies will establish a joint venture for their production and further development. The aim of the partnership is to provide customers with even better support in increasing their efficiency and sustainability.

SICK and Endress+Hauser signed a joint memorandum of understanding for a strategic partnership in October 2023. Since then, the project has been examined and plans for implementing the cooperation have been drawn up. Following approval by the respective supervisory bodies, representatives of both companies have now signed a corresponding agreement.

Endress+Hauser takes over worldwide sales and service

As a key aspect of the strategic partnership, Endress+Hauser will take over sales and service for process analysis and gas flow measurement technology. Around 800 specialized sales and service employees in 42 countries will transfer from SICK to Endress+Hauser.

Most importantly, the companies said customers will benefit by receiving more products from a single source. The global Endress+Hauser sales network will enable the acquisition of additional customers. Thus, reaching more industries and will enable to develop new applications.

Joint venture for development and production

From 2025, the production and further development of process analyzers and gas flowmeters will be the responsibility of the joint venture. Each partner will hold a 50 percent stake. It will employ about 730 people at several locations in Germany.

Therefore, the joint venture will work closely with Endress+Hauser’s competence centers to drive product innovations forward efficiently.

Complementary offerings for process automation

The two companies’ offerings in process technology complement each other perfectly. SICK’s products are currently in waste incineration plants, power, steel, and cement plants, in the oil and gas industry, in chemical and petrochemical plants, and in shipbuilding. For example, for analyzing emissions in flue gas cleaning or for measuring the flow of natural gas and hydrogen.

“This strategic partnership opens up opportunities for growth and development for SICK and Endress+Hauser. We are taking this path because by collaborating and networking we can achieve more together in a reasonable amount of time than either side could on its own – all this for the benefit of our customers, employees and both companies,” says Dr Peter Selders, CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group.

Driving forward sustainable transformation

Meanwhile, Dr. Mats Gökstorp, Chairman of the Executive Board at SICK said, “Our aspiration is to drive the sustainable transformation of the process industry and to support our customers in leveraging the opportunities presented by decarbonization. That is why SICK and Endress+Hauser are combining their technological and market expertise. In the interest of our customers and employees, we look forward to the strategic partnership and to shape the future of process automation together.”

Both companies see the sustainable transformation as a business opportunity. Together, they want to provide even better support to customers in important areas such as energy and resource efficiency and climate and environmental protection as well as assisting with the decarbonization of their production processes. SICK and Endress+Hauser have worked together frequently on an order, project and customer basis.

19 August 2024