Accenture to Acquire Industrial Robotics and Automation Solutions Provider Pollux

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has agreed to acquire Pollux, a provider of industrial robotics and automation solutions, headquartered in Joinville, Brazil. The acquisition will expand Accenture’s capabilities for clients in consumer goods, pharmaceutical and automotive industries seeking to make their factories, plants and supply chains more productive, safe and sustainable.

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Accenture has agreed to acquire industrial robotics and automation solutions provider Pollux (Photo: Business Wire)

Pollux provides solutions to optimize manufacturing and logistics processes. The company designs, engineers and deploys fully functional assembly lines that include robots and other hardware, plus the software that controls them. Pollux also offers visual analytics inspection solutions, autonomous mobile robots and robots as a service for shopfloors and warehouses.

Founded in 1996, Pollux has implemented more than 1,000 projects for manufacturing companies, primarily in Brazil. Many of the world’s largest pharmaceutical and food companies use technology solutions from Pollux in their Brazil operations, and a high number of vehicles made in the country involve Pollux’s manufacturing solutions.

This is Accenture’s first acquisition of an industrial robotics solutions provider and will encompass Pollux’s operations in Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Canada and the United States. Pollux’s more than 290 professionals will join Accenture’s Industry X group, which embeds intelligence in how clients run factories and plants, as well as design and engineer connected products and services.

Nigel Stacey, global lead for Accenture Industry X, said: “Automation and human + machine collaboration are digitally transforming manufacturing and supply chain operations to be more flexible, resilient, sustainable and safe, and to better meet ever-changing customer demands. Tangibly seeing these benefits in practice requires a true integration of information technology and operations technology, which is what Pollux will allow us to offer our manufacturing clients.”

Renato Improta, Latin America lead for Accenture Industry X, added: “Pollux’s expertise and experience in robotics and automation solutions will complement our industry consulting skills and industrial IT and applied intelligence capabilities. This combination will enable us to deliver real-time supply chain and operations orchestration with flexible manufacturing functions to our clients.”

José Rizzo Hahn Filho, CEO and founder of Pollux, commented: “As part of Accenture Industry X, we can offer existing and new clients complete transformation of manufacturing and logistics processes. Combining IT innovations with industrial automation can enable powerful new business models, in which, for example, a consumer’s purchase at home immediately triggers a robot’s next move in a factory on the other side of the planet.”

Pollux will be the latest acquisition Accenture has made to strengthen its digital manufacturing, operations and supply chain capabilities. Recent acquisitions include industrial operations consulting firm Myrtle (US), technology consultancy SALT Solutions (Germany), PLM Systems (Italy), Callisto Integration (Canada), Silveo (France) and Enterprise System Partners (Ireland).

In Brazil, Accenture recently purchased information security firm Real Protect and cloud specialist Organize Cloud Labs.

Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and Operations services — all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 514,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

Accenture Industry X embeds intelligence in how clients run factories and plants, as well as design and engineer connected products and services — making manufacturing and operations more efficient, effective and safe; enabling companies to transform how they make things, and the things they make, for sustainable growth. To learn more, visit www.accenture.com/industryx.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Many of the following risks, uncertainties and other factors identified below are, and will be, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. These risks include, without limitation, risks that: Accenture and Pollux will not be able to close the transaction in the time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the parties’ ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; Accenture’s results of operations have been significantly adversely affected and could in the future be materially adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; Accenture’s results of operations have been, and may in the future be, adversely affected by volatile, negative or uncertain economic and political conditions and the effects of these conditions on the company’s clients’ businesses and levels of business activity; Accenture’s business depends on generating and maintaining ongoing, profitable client demand for the company’s services and solutions including through the adaptation and expansion of its services and solutions in response to ongoing changes in technology and offerings, and a significant reduction in such demand or an inability to respond to the evolving technological environment could materially affect the company’s results of operations; if Accenture is unable to keep its supply of skills and resources in balance with client demand around the world and attract and retain professionals with strong leadership skills, the company’s business, the utilization rate of the company’s professionals and the company’s results of operations may be materially adversely affected; Accenture could face legal, reputational and financial risks if the company fails to protect client and/or company data from security incidents or cyberattacks; the markets in which Accenture operates are highly competitive, and Accenture might not be able to compete effectively; Accenture’s profitability could materially suffer if the company is unable to obtain favorable pricing for its services and solutions, if the company is unable to remain competitive, if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful or if it experiences delivery inefficiencies or fail to satisfy certain agreed-upon targets or specific service levels; changes in Accenture’s level of taxes, as well as audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in tax laws or in their interpretation or enforcement, could have a material adverse effect on the company’s effective tax rate, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition; Accenture’s ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; as a result of Accenture’s geographically diverse operations and its growth strategy to continue to expand in its key markets around the world, the company is more susceptible to certain risks; Accenture’s business could be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal liability; Accenture’s work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment; Accenture’s results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; if Accenture is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; if Accenture does not successfully manage and develop its relationships with key alliance partners or fails to anticipate and establish new alliances in new technologies, the company’s results of operations could be adversely affected; Accenture might not be successful at acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into joint ventures or divesting businesses; if Accenture is unable to protect or enforce its intellectual property rights or if Accenture’s services or solutions infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others or the company loses its ability to utilize the intellectual property of others, its business could be adversely affected; Accenture’s results of operations and share price could be adversely affected if it is unable to maintain effective internal controls; changes to accounting standards or in the estimates and assumptions Accenture makes in connection with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements could adversely affect its financial results; Accenture might be unable to access additional capital on favorable terms or at all and if the company raises equity capital, it may dilute its shareholders’ ownership interest in the company; Accenture may be subject to criticism and negative publicity related to its incorporation in Ireland; as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in Accenture plc’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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