Accenture grows Industry X practice with Eclipse Automation acquisition

Accenture has strengthened its Industry X practice with the acquisition of Eclipse Automation, a Cambridge, ON-based provider of manufacturing automation and robotics solutions.

Founded in 2001, Eclipse works with life sciences, industrial equipment, automotive, energy, and consumer goods companies to design, build, and integrate automation solutions for manufacturing products including automotive parts and medical devices.

The firm’s solutions include automation control systems, production machines, and robots, with critical customized tooling manufactured in-house.

Eclipse has approximately 800 professionals across offices in Canada, the US, Hungary, Germany, Switzerland, and Malaysia.

Accenture’s acquisition of Eclipse will allow the consultancy to deliver automated production lines that leverage cloud, data, and AI technologies.

“Many companies are bringing production back home to Canada and the US due to global supply chain disruptions. This gives them a unique opportunity to reinvent manufacturing with digital technologies and advanced automation,” Jeffrey Russell, president of Accenture Canada, said. “With Eclipse Automation, Accenture will provide technology and training capabilities that our clients need to develop a digital industrial workforce in markets where manufacturing skills are scarce.”

The deal builds on previous bolt-ons to Accenture’s North American Industry X practice, which helps industrial firms transform their factory operations via innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, internet of things, and automation.

The firm in 2020 bought Callisto Integration, an Oakville, ON-based consultancy focusing on digital manufacturing services, and Myrtle Consulting Group, a Houston, TX-based industrial operations consulting firm.

Steve Mai, CEO of Eclipse Automation, said, “For two decades, we have been leaders in delivering advanced automation solutions and high-tech manufacturing know-how to clients across multiple industries. By joining Accenture, we can also bring the advantages of data, AI and the cloud to our clients’ facilities at a scale that no other company can offer them.”

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.