Transaction Expands AIR's U.S. Presence With Addition of a Leading Developer of Custom Automation Solutions for High-Technology Industries
Automated Industrial Robotics Inc. ("AIR" or the "Company") today announced the acquisition of Owens Design, a Fremont, California-based industrial automation company with deep experience developing custom solutions for customers in high-tech industries. The transaction further strengthens AIR's ability to align engineering capabilities across its United States, United Kingdom and Ireland footprint and deliver innovative automation solutions for its global customer base. AIR funded the transaction through an additional investment from an Ares Management Private Equity fund, in addition to an equity investment from the Owens Design leadership team.
Since 1983, Owens Design has helped accelerate the speed that customers can scale production and commercialize their products by delivering customized and integrated automation solutions. Owens Design partners with OEMs and manufacturers from startups to scaled public companies on highly complex design-build and manufacturing automation projects across semiconductor, renewable energy, data storage, medical product and other emerging technology end markets. Supported by approximately 100 experienced team members operating from a 60,000-square-foot facility footprint in Silicon Valley, Owens Design has established a track record of engineering excellence and proven development process that has resulted in the creation of over 3,000 bespoke tools to date.
With the addition of Owens Design, AIR significantly enhances its presence in the high-growth semiconductor industry. Further, AIR expects to leverage Owens Design's established capabilities in the semiconductor manufacturing space, including its ultra-high-precision handling expertise, clean room facilities and leading quality management systems, and apply these principles to other key end markets, including medical products and pharmaceuticals. With this transaction, AIR now has over 530 employees and an automation hub footprint of over 400,000 square feet globally.
AIR Executive Chairman Brian Klos and Chief Executive Officer Darragh de Stonndún said, "We are honored to partner with Bob and the entire Owens Design team on this exciting next chapter, which we believe brings a world-class business with truly differentiated automation capabilities and an impressive breadth of industry experience to the AIR platform. Importantly, the addition of Owens Design marks another transformative step as we work to further link the engineering excellence across AIR's growing footprint and more effectively deliver cutting-edge, scaled manufacturing to our global customer base."
Bob Fung, Chief Executive Officer of Owens Design, said, "I am proud of what Owens Design has been able to achieve in over 40 years as an independent company. In AIR, we have found a partner who shares our values of serving customers while creating a rewarding environment for our team members to challenge themselves and grow. AIR brings scale, geographic diversity and exceptional automation experience that will enable Owens Design to realize the significant growth opportunity in front of us. I look forward to continuing my leadership of Owens Design as part of AIR."
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About Automated Industrial Robotics Inc.
AIR is an industrial automation company focused on acquiring and facilitating the growth of leading industrial automation companies serving diverse end markets with strong operational histories and tenured management teams. Grounded in a culture of safety, transparency and pursuit of excellent customer experience, AIR seeks to leverage complementary teams and technologies to deliver innovative, cost-competitive solutions to address the complex and challenging needs of global businesses. With over 530 employees, AIR is currently serving a global customer base across five manufacturing hubs located in the United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
About Owens Design
Since 1983, Owens Design has worked with OEMs and manufacturers ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. It has built its reputation as the safe solutions provider that always gets the job done. Owens Design clients enjoy minimized risk, accelerated time-to-market and scaled production with its custom design, engineering, build and turnkey manufacturing services. Owens Design focuses on high-tech industries, offering specialized expertise in semiconductors, medical products, renewable energy, emerging technologies and data storage. Its wide range of application experience includes robotics, laser processes, handling lyophilized beads and more. For more information, please visit www.owensdesign.com.
About Ares Management Corporation
Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) is a leading global alternative investment manager offering clients complementary primary and secondary investment solutions across the credit, real estate, private equity and infrastructure asset classes. We seek to advance our stakeholders' long-term goals by providing flexible capital that supports businesses and creates value for our investors and within our communities. By collaborating across our investment groups, we aim to generate consistent and attractive investment returns throughout market cycles. As of June 30, 2025, Ares Management Corporation's global platform had over $572 billion of assets under management, with operations across North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.aresmgmt.com.
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Ares Management
Jacob Silber | Brennan O'Toole
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