Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) has acquired, for an undisclosed sum, 80% stake in the company specialising in automation technology.

The remaining 20% are controlled by the company's three previous managers who will continue to work for iSAM AG.

The Ruhr Area-based company employs an interdisciplinary team of 50 and has subsidiaries in the US, Australia/Asia, and Canada.

iSAM is working for the IHATEC project Container Terminal 4.0 on an automation prototype of a rail gantry crane at the HHLA's Port of Hamburg-located Container Terminal Altenwerder as well as is developing new safety technologies for the workspaces shared by people and machines.

Earlier, the company automated the bulk cargo terminal Hansaport in the Port of Hamburg.

"We have known HHLA for more than 20 years and developed the world's first automated heavy machinery based on GPS and 3D LiDAR technology alongside companies within the HHLA Group. We look forward to deepening this cooperation and developing new markets in the automation of container handling under the HHLA Group umbrella. We have been working intensively on this technology for the past few years. Additionally, HHLA offers our company, customers and employees a long-term perspective beyond the founding generation," Bernd Mann, Shareholder and CEO, iSAM AG, commented.

Angela Titzrath, Chairwoman, HHLA Executive Board, also said, "With the opening of the Container Terminal Altenwerder 20 years ago, HHLA already showed what potential automation had. With this acquisition, HHLA has direct access to technological developments in the automation of industrial processes, which will make it possible to get into new innovative sectors. This transaction confirms our intention to consistently implement our strategy focused on growth and innovation, even under the special conditions of the coronavirus pandemic."

Photo: HHLA/Dietmar Hasenpusch