ZF Italia s.r.l. is the Italian subsidiary of automotive supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG , while YASKAWA Europe GmbH is the European subsidiary of Japanese technology group YASKAWA Electric. The two companies already had a strategic partnership for selling automation components in Italy. The acquisition strengthens YASKAWA's presence in the Italian market, the second largest in Europe. "Merging the drive technology, controls and robotics product lines helps us better leverage the potential of our overall industrial automation portfolio," explains Norbert Gauß, President of YASKAWA Europe's Drives Motion and Controls division.

In addition to its Drives, Motion and Controls division, YASKAWA has been represented in the robotics sector with a proprietary state-owned subsidiary in Italy for many years. Four locations in the conurbations of Turin, Milan, Modena and Brescia are now available for the products and system solutions of the Drives, Motion and Controls division and the Robotics division.