Open advancement: Motorola invests in industrial wireless supplier Apprion
By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff -- Manufacturing Business Technology, 7/2/2008 6:50:00 PM
Motorola, through its venture capital arm Motorola Ventures, is investing in Apprion, a specialist in open industrial wireless networks and applications. With the Motorola Ventures investment, Apprion has raised more than $23.5 million.
Apprion's ION System enables industrial facilities to cost-effectively deploy and manage multiple wireless applications as one unified, integrated system. Its IONosphere is an onsite controller that manages data services, workflow, security, monitoring and maintenance, and third-party application integration across wireless plant networks. Apprion's IONizer is the process industry's first industrial-grade, multi-RF, wireless network appliance. IONizers are said to cost-effectively integrate and secure previously stand-alone wireless-enabled applications such as VoIP and condition monitoring.
"Over the last decade wireless technologies have radically changed how we live. Over the next decade, we expect to see wireless technologies transform manufacturing by the same magnitude," says John O'Donohue, managing director of Motorola Ventures. "Apprion delivers the right combination of technology, products, and industrial experience to uniquely address the wireless challenges of industrial customers. Its growth trajectory and excellent track record demonstrate that the company is a driving force in industrial wireless solutions."
