Fagor Arrasate, a company within the MONDRAGON Corporation specializing in the development of capital equipment for the forming and processing of metal and composite materials, has taken a new step in its diversification strategy by acquiring a stake in ROBOHELIX. The Australian-founded company, headquartered in Germany, has developed a patented technology that automates the manufacturing of helical flights for Archimedes screws (screw conveyors), with applications across a wide range of industrial sectors.
The transaction, signed in Frankfurt on May 28, involves an initial acquisition of a 20% stake in ROBOHELIX, with the possibility of increasing the shareholding to a majority position over the coming years.
“This transaction is fully aligned with the diversification strategy outlined in our Strategic Plan 2028,” said Juan Etxebarria, Business Development Director at Fagor Arrasate.
Pioneering Technology with Multi-Sector Potential
ROBOHELIX has entered the market with 8-axis CNC robotic machines capable of producing metal helical flights in a fully automated process, eliminating the need for large hydraulic presses, expensive tooling, and labor-intensive manual operations.
Compared with traditional manufacturing methods, the technology delivers significant improvements in production speed, precision, safety, and operating costs.
According to Etxebarria, this technological investment will enable Fagor Arrasate to expand into sectors such as agriculture and food processing, chemicals and fertilizers, mining and minerals, oil and gas, water and waste treatment, public infrastructure, and construction.
“ROBOHELIX brings a technology that is highly complementary to our existing capabilities and enables us to enter industries whose economic cycles are not correlated with our traditional markets of automotive, home appliances, and steelmaking,” he explained.
An Integrated Offering to Lead an Industrial Niche
Fagor Arrasate’s involvement will allow ROBOHELIX to scale its product into a complete industrial solution unlike any currently available on the market.
In the short term, the objective is to fully automate the manufacturing of Archimedes screws by offering an integrated production line covering the entire process, from sheet metal cutting to the finished screw conveyor.
In addition to its technological expertise, the MONDRAGON cooperative will contribute its global sales and service network, providing ROBOHELIX with the commercial reach and operational strength it has lacked until now.
A Sustained Growth Strategy
This transaction follows several strategic investments made by Fagor Arrasate in recent years, including Ribinerf, Savvy Data Systems, and Primus Robotics.
“This is one more transaction among those that may come in the future, in line with our mandate to diversify Fagor Arrasate’s activities and generate high-quality employment,” said Etxebarria.
Over the coming years, the company expects this new business line to create around 60 highly skilled jobs and generate revenue of approximately €30 million.
For this transaction, Fagor Arrasate was advised by V4 Financial Partners and KPMG, while ROBOHELIX was advised by se2quel Partners LLC.
Photo caption: From left to right, Iñaki Mota, Chairman of the Governing Board of Fagor Arrasate, and Robert Franz Lehner, Managing Director of RoboHelix GmbH, pose following the signing of the agreement in Frankfurt, Germany.
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