ONDEX Forges Automation Giant with Fitch Co. Acquisition

CHICAGO, IL – May 27, 2026 – ONDEX Automation, a rapidly growing systems integrator, today announced its acquisition of The Fitch Company, a respected Maine-based electrical engineering and process automation firm. The move, ONDEX’s sixth acquisition since April 2024, signals an acceleration of its aggressive strategy to build a national automation powerhouse capable of serving the complex needs of North American manufacturers.

The acquisition integrates The Fitch Company’s nearly four decades of expertise and deep customer relationships into the expanding ONDEX platform, which is backed by the Chicago-based private equity firm Shore Capital Partners. This partnership is the latest step in a deliberate campaign to consolidate the fragmented industrial automation market.

The 'Buy-and-Build' Playbook in Action

ONDEX Automation's recent flurry of acquisitions paints a clear picture of a "buy-and-build" strategy, a hallmark of its private equity backer, Shore Capital Partners. Since early 2024, ONDEX has been methodically acquiring specialized systems integrators to assemble a comprehensive suite of automation services. This strategy aims to create a single, dominant entity in a market traditionally populated by smaller, regional firms.

The acquisition spree includes:
* LIVE Automation, a Massachusetts-based specialist in PLC controls for the medical device and food & beverage sectors.
* Automation & Control Inc. (ACI) of New Jersey, which brought expertise in factory automation and UL control panels for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
* Vision and Control Systems (VCS), adding high-demand machine vision, robotics, and motion control capabilities from its locations in New Jersey and South Carolina.
* PlantOPS Consulting, which deepened ONDEX's capabilities in Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), particularly for the life sciences industry.

The addition of The Fitch Company fits perfectly into this mosaic. While previous acquisitions bolstered ONDEX's strength in discrete manufacturing, robotics, and MES, Fitch brings a powerful new dimension in process automation and heavy industrial engineering.

"The Fitch Company is exactly the kind of partner we look for, with deep technical expertise, long-tenured customer relationships, and a culture that takes genuine pride in its work," said Justin Kerr, CEO of ONDEX Automation, in a statement. "Mark and his team have spent nearly four decades building one of the most respected process automation businesses in the region, and we're proud to welcome them to ONDEX.”

Integrating a Maine Engineering Legacy

Founded in 1986, The Fitch Company carved out a distinguished reputation from its headquarters in Rumford, Maine, with additional facilities in Bangor and Gray. Initially focused on the region's dominant pulp and paper industry, the firm steadily expanded its reach into power and energy, food and beverage, and consumer goods.

The company became known for its engineering prowess and, crucially, its personnel continuity. With a close-knit team of around 30 employees, many of whom are long-tenured, Fitch developed what the press release calls "deep customer relationships, many spanning multiple plant sites and decades of continuous service." This stability allowed them to service and upgrade complex industrial systems they may have installed years or even decades prior—a critical asset in heavy industry where equipment has a long lifecycle.

The acquisition seeks to preserve this valuable legacy. Mark Bolduc, P.E., who has led The Fitch Company since 2003, will remain as General Manager, ensuring leadership continuity and a familiar face for long-standing clients. This move signals ONDEX’s intent to integrate, not just absorb, the companies it acquires, retaining the institutional knowledge and local relationships that made them successful in the first place.

"ONDEX shares our commitment to customers and our belief that taking care of your people is what drives lasting success," Bolduc stated. "I'm excited about the opportunities this creates for our team and our customers, and I look forward to being part of something bigger while staying true to what has made The Fitch Company great."

A Synergistic Blend of Capabilities

The strategic value of the acquisition lies in the specific, high-value technical skills The Fitch Company brings to the ONDEX platform. The Maine firm provides a robust set of services that are foundational to large-scale process industries. These include:

• Process Control Expertise: Deep knowledge of Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), the brains behind large industrial plants.
• Electrical Engineering and Design: The ability to design complex electrical systems from the ground up, a crucial component of any major automation project.
• Field Services and Instrumentation: Hands-on engineering support on the plant floor, including instrumentation and OT/IT networking.
• UL-Listed Panel Fabrication: An in-house facility in Rumford for building certified control panels, ensuring quality control and faster project execution.

These capabilities complement ONDEX’s existing strengths perfectly. A manufacturer that previously might have hired ONDEX for a robotic packaging line and a separate firm for its process controls can now turn to a single, integrated partner. This holistic approach is central to ONDEX’s value proposition: empowering North American manufacturers to enhance quality, improve productivity, and build more resilient operations by serving as a one-stop-shop for automation needs.

With the addition of Fitch, ONDEX significantly strengthens its position in the pulp & paper and power & energy sectors, while also providing deeper process control knowledge for its existing food & beverage and consumer goods clients. The acquisition not only expands ONDEX’s geographic footprint into the Northeast but also deepens its technical bench, creating a more formidable competitor in the national market. The combined entity now boasts over 150 team members across 10 locations, a significant scale in the systems integration space.

This strategic consolidation reflects a broader trend in manufacturing. As companies seek to re-shore or near-shore operations, they are increasingly looking for sophisticated, large-scale automation partners who can handle complex, plant-wide projects. By acquiring and integrating firms like The Fitch Company, ONDEX is positioning itself to be the go-to partner for this new era of industrial investment.