ATS Automation buys fluid dispensing systems maker BioDot

Cambridge, Ont.-based ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. has signed a deal to buy U.S. company BioDot Inc., a manufacturer of automated fluid dispensing systems, for $106 million.

Founded in 1994, BioDot is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and employs 94 people spread across its two U.S. manufacturing facilities and locations in China and the UK.

“The addition of BioDot expands our life sciences capabilities in precise, low-volume fluid dispensing and enhances our position in the point-of-care and clinical diagnostics lab automation end-markets,” ATS CEO Andrew Hider said in an April 14 news release. “With a long track record, applications expertise and deep customer relationships, BioDot’s systems enable customers to manufacture billions of test devices annually. Given the transition toward near-patient and at-home diagnostic testing for a broad range of infectious diseases including Covid-19, and other medical and non-medical testing applications, the acquisition of BioDot will allow us to play a bigger role in supporting the needs of our Life Sciences customers for the long term.”

The news release also said that BioDot will continue to be led by its long tenured CEO, Tony Lemmo.

The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021, pending customary regulatory filings