RobotWorx Company Profile: History, Ownership Changes and Services
Updated: Oct 15
RobotWorx was an Ohio robot integrator, founded in 1992, that became known for selling new and used industrial robots through the website Robots.com. Its operation was closed in 2022, and the name and website now belong to T.I.E. Industrial of Tennessee. This profile sets out its history, its changes of ownership and the services offered today.
RobotWorx at a Glance
Fact | Detail |
Name | RobotWorx, with the website Robots.com |
Founded | 1992 |
Original base | 370 West Fairground Street, Marion, Ohio, USA |
Earlier owner | Scott Technology of New Zealand |
Present owner | T.I.E. Industrial, since October 2022 |
Owner's headquarters | LaVergne, Tennessee, USA |
Business today | Refurbished robots, parts, repair and field service |
Robot brands | FANUC, KUKA, Motoman and ABB |
Company History
RobotWorx was founded in 1992 and was based in Marion, Ohio. It was an industrial robot integrator that worked with robots from several manufacturers and completed thousands of installations, among them welding and palletizing cells. It bought and sold new and used robots, parts and complete work cells. What set it apart was its presence on the internet: it held a large portfolio of web addresses, the most valuable of which was Robots.com.
Sale to Scott Technology
The New Zealand automation company Scott Technology bought RobotWorx when it had been in business for more than 21 years. Scott paid USD 5.4 million, made up of USD 4.5 million in bank debt and USD 900,000 in Scott shares, with up to USD 2.3 million more in shares over three years if earnings targets were met. Keith Wanner was chief executive and owner at the time.
Closure
In October 2022 Scott reported that it had shed RobotWorx and closed the operation in Ohio, recording write-offs in its accounts.
Purchase by T.I.E. Industrial
On October 17, 2022, T.I.E. Industrial announced that it had acquired the remaining assets of the Robots.com website and the RobotWorx name. According to the announcement, it did not buy the company itself. A T.I.E. executive said that RobotWorx had done excellent work on the content of the site and that competing against Robots.com would have been difficult.
Key milestones
1992: RobotWorx founded.
About 2014: Bought by Scott Technology for USD 5.4 million.
October 2022: Ohio operation closed; name and website acquired by T.I.E. Industrial.
The Present Owner
T.I.E. Industrial is an aftermarket supplier of machine tool control parts, refurbished industrial robots and automation repair, with more than 35 years in business. It bought The Parker Group of Companies in 2016 and MASTER Robotics in 2018. Its chief executive is Tony Wisniewski.
T.I.E. set out its plans for the site in two phases: first a light redesign in line with its other websites, then a combination of the product offerings. It said that it would not sell integration services, which had been RobotWorx's original business, and that it wants to run a marketplace in which integrators, robot makers and service providers can take part.
Services Today
Refurbished robots from FANUC, KUKA, Motoman and ABB.
Parts sales and repair, from an inventory of more than 100,000 parts.
Preventive maintenance and robot wrist repair.
Robot evaluation and an integrator referral program.
Lifecycle support: emergency response, a technical hotline, system upgrades and recycling.
T.I.E. says it services more than 275 brands and has more than 100 experts on staff.
Can You Invest in RobotWorx?
No listing was found for the brand or for its present owner in the sources used.
What Is Not Covered
The founder of RobotWorx, its sales and its employee numbers are not stated in the sources used, so they are left out. The year of the Scott purchase is inferred from the statement that the company had then been in business for more than 21 years.
Strengths and Challenges
Strengths
A well-known web address for buyers of used robots.
A large body of educational content built up over many years.
An owner with a large parts inventory.
Challenges
The original integration business no longer exists.
The brand changed hands as an asset sale, not as a continuing company.
Competition from robot makers' own service organizations.
RobotWorx FAQ
Who owns RobotWorx?
T.I.E. Industrial, which acquired the RobotWorx name and the Robots.com website in October 2022.
When was RobotWorx founded?
In 1992, in Marion, Ohio.
Did Scott Technology own RobotWorx?
Yes. Scott bought it for USD 5.4 million and closed the Ohio operation in 2022.
What does RobotWorx sell today?
Refurbished industrial robots, parts and repair services, through Robots.com.
Does RobotWorx still build robot systems?
No. T.I.E. has said it will not sell integration services.
Which robot brands does it handle?
FANUC, KUKA, Motoman and ABB.
