CGG, French offshore survey service provider, announced that its seismic equipment unit Sercel has acquired a 34% shareholding in AMBPR, a start-up company that designs and markets autonomous robots for repairing large metallic structures, used in the maritime and energy industries.
Specifically, both companies inked an industrial partnership agreement whereby Sercel will manufacture AMBPR robots at its Saint-Gaudens site in France.
AMBPR developed a prototype robot based on an instrumented articulating boom lift that can work autonomously to clean, sand and paint the sides of ships in dry dock. With the manufacturing support of Sercel, AMBPR expects to sell its first units within the next six months.
Emmanuelle Dubu, CEO of Sercel, commented that
This initiative is an opportunity to broaden the range of potential markets for our technology and know-how beyond the oil and gas industry and diversify production at our Saint-Gaudens site.
