Honeywell is looking to boost its capabilities in autonomous technology by moving ahead with plans to acquire Civitanavi Systems. On March 28, the U.S. group announced that it has made a voluntary tender offer to buy all outstanding shares in the specialist manufacturer of navigation and timing technology for aerospace, defense, and industrial applications.
In particular, Honeywell aims to tap the Italian company’s inertial navigation, georeference, and stabilization systems to enhance its existing navigation and sensor products for new markets such as advanced air mobility (AAM). These could include a high-performance fiber optic gyro technology that is not in Honeywell’s current portfolio, and that could enhance what it is seeking to offer companies including eVTOL aircraft manufacturers.
The Honeywell offer is based on a purchase price of €6.30 per share, representing an equity value of around €200 million. The proposed price payable at closing represents a premium of around 27.1 percent to the 30-day volume-weighted average trading price of Civitanavi’s stock.
“By integrating Civitanavi’s inertial technologies and sensors across Honeywell’s existing commercial, military, space, and industrial platforms, our customers across the globe will now have access to a more robust portfolio of aerospace navigation solutions in support of their journey towards autonomous operations,” said Jim Currier, president and CEO of Honeywell Aerospace Technologies.
The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024, subject to factors such as clearing antitrust procedures. It is also contingent on at least 95 percent of Civitanavi’s stock being available for purchase, and Honeywell meeting foreign direct investment requirements for Italy, the UK, and Canada.
Honeywell started its direct engagement with what was to become the AAM sector when it opened its uncrewed aircraft systems center of excellence back in 2017. Then in March 2020, it established a fully-fledged business unit with a dedicated laboratory in Phoenix and a remit to tap and repurpose technologies from across the group for new applications.
Some of the electric aircraft manufacturers it is supporting include Archer, Pipistrel, Supernal, Volocopter, and Eve. It is also an investor in Vertical Aerospace, Lilium, and Volocopter, as well as being a key supplier to these eVTOL programs.