SAME Deutz Fahr has acquired a majority stake in VitiBot

The shareholders of VitiBot, specialized in electric and autonomous equipment for the vineyard market, have sold a majority stake to SAME Deutz Fahr (SDF Group), a world leading manufacturer of agricultural equipment.

Founded in 2016 and based in Reims, France, VitiBot aims to address current major issues for farmers regarding ecology, profitability, labor shortage and safety. The company offers Bakus®, a 100% electric and autonomous robot with real-time remote supervision and a monitoring service, recognized as the most advanced solution in the vineyard market. VitiBot also commercializes the only tools designed for fully autonomous operations, achieving an unmatched combination of torque, energy efficiency, precision and adjustability. With 40% of its 50 FTEs dedicated to R&D, VitiBot has specialists in each field of its technology (mechanical design, mechatronics, electronics, digital simulation, embedded computing, IT and AI), giving the company a unique know-how to design solutions and electric tools from the ground up and fully in-house.

Founded in 1927 and based in Treviglio, Italy, SAME Deutz Fahr (SDF Group) is one of the world's leading manufacturers of tractors, harvesting machines and diesel engines. It distributes products through the SAME, Deutz Fahr, Lamborghini Trattori, Hürlimann and Grégoire brands. Production, sales, after-sales and the distribution of spare parts are overseen by eight production sites, 13 sales subsidiaries and two joint ventures in Europe and Asia, and 155 importers and over 3,100 dealers around the world. The group’s strategy is based on offering an extensive product range, on expanding its sales network in key and emerging markets, giving its production capacity an international dimension, and overseeing technological know-how internally to develop core components. SDF Group has more than 4,000 employees and in 2021, the group recorded a revenue of approximately US$1.5 billion and 10.8% EBITDA.

Oaklins’ team in France advised the shareholders of VitiBot on the sale of a majority stake to SDF Group.