Topcon expands positioning tech to rail and tunnel with Amberg collaboration
Digitalization and enhanced data transfer can address critical underground infrastructure challenges
Topcon Positioning Systems and Amberg Technologies have entered into a collaboration agreement and are launching a fully integrated solution for rail and tunnel applications. The interoperability of hardware and software platforms is designed to allow professionals to seamlessly combine technologies from both companies to enhance workflow efficiency and accuracy.
The agreement comes at a time when increased urbanization drives demand for new underground infrastructure and placing demands on aging and existing infrastructure. Digitalization and automation can help contractors and civil engineering firms address these critical industry challenges, as well as labor shortages, tight project schedules, and increasingly complex design requirements.
Key capabilities resulting from this collaboration include utilizing Topcon's advanced positioning technology directly with Amberg's rail and tunnel hardware and software platforms. This integration streamlines tasks such as track alignment, tunnel profiling, and volumetric analysis. The integrations address the need for technology systems that reduce data translation gaps between different hardware and software platforms, eliminating potential errors that can occur when transferring data between systems.
"Railways and tunnel infrastructure projects present unique measurement and construction challenges that require highly specialized solutions," said Ivan Di Federico, president and CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems. "By working with Amberg Technologies, we are ensuring that our shared customers can connect Topcon's positioning technologies with Amberg's purpose-built rail and tunnel systems for truly comprehensive project workflows. What the two companies can deliver in terms of innovations — combining our R&D efforts with their knowledge and existing experience — can be groundbreaking for these specialized markets."
Felix Amberg, president and owner of Amberg Group, said, "Coming from the underground sector, we recognize the significant technological advancements Topcon has made in the above-ground market with robotics, automation, and machine guidance. These innovations are key technologies we also need for underground applications. Leveraging what Topcon has already developed, as well as collaboratively developing new solutions not available in the market, will represent a tremendous step forward for the growing underground market."
"Today, you cannot develop your company alone," said Johannes Mueller, CEO of Amberg Technologies. "You need to be part of an ecosystem, and you need to have partners. For us, Topcon is a very strong strategic partner, which will help us to achieve expansion goals. It gives us opportunities to enter new segments, which we currently cannot touch as a stand-alone company. Also, in the R&D sector, we get access to technologies we never had before in that sense, so this will bring out new solutions. There is an abundance of positive opportunities moving forward."
