Industrial Automation group company CALDAN strengthens European position through acquisition of French SEMA

Axel Johnson International’s business group Industrial Automation continues its international expansion as CALDAN, a global leader in conveyor solutions, acquires SEMA, a French engineering company with strong expertise in high-performance conveyor technologies. The acquisition further strengthens CALDAN’s position in the global industrial automation market and provides a stronger platform for growth in France and southern Europe.

With the acquisition, SEMA becomes CALDAN’s hub in France, supporting the strategically important French and southern European markets. The company will continue to manage customer relationships with local and regional system houses as well as end-users, in line with CALDAN’s decentralized global model with regional offices in Germany, UK, US, China, and India. In addition to expanding geographical reach, the acquisition broadens CALDAN’s product range and capabilities within surface treatment.

Paulo Afonso, founder and driving force behind SEMA’s development, will remain as Managing Director to ensure continuity and support future growth. The Le Mans facility will become a key growth and innovation hub for the region.

“I am really enthusiastic to welcome Paulo and his team to the CALDAN family. This is a natural next step in the successful, long-term collaboration between two companies that share a deep commitment to quality, innovation, and customer success,” says Claus Nørgaard, CEO of CALDAN Group. “By joining forces, we are creating a stronger global presence - combining CALDAN’s international network and systems expertise with SEMA’s proven technology and market experience, as well as strong relationships with both system houses and end-customers in the region We are investing in growth and our goal is to build on SEMA's existing strengths while creating new opportunities, innovation and talent development.”

“Our journey with CALDAN began in 2010, and from the very start, we recognised shared values and complementary strengths. Joining the CALDAN family marks an exciting new chapter for our team and gives us the scale and support to serve our customers even better.” says Paulo Afonso.

About SEMA
Founded in 2007, SEMA (Systèmes de Manutention Automatisés) specializes in designing and manufacturing metal structures and automated handling systems and has a strong presence in the French surface treatment industry. The company employs 14 skilled employees and is recognized for its technical excellence and strong customer commitment.

About CALDAN
CALDAN Conveyor A/S, based near Aarhus in Denmark, is a leading global supplier of conveyor systems for automated painting, assembly and logistics. With more than 60 years of experience, CALDAN has subsidiaries in Germany, UK, France, USA, China and India and employs 160 people. CALDAN is part of Axel Johnson International, a Swedish industrial group comprising 200 companies in 35 countries.