Honeybee Robotics to Join Blue Origin

Honeybee Robotics (Honeybee) today announced that it will be acquired by Blue Origin. With major operations in Longmont, Colorado and Altadena, California, Honeybee will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Origin, headquartered in Kent, Washington. The deal between Honeybee’s parent organization, Ensign-Bickford Industries, and Blue Origin is expected to close in mid-February. Terms of the deal are not being disclosed.  

Since 1983, Honeybee Robotics has delivered more than 1,000 advanced projects to government and industrial customers in the spacecraft, planetary exploration, defense robotics, medical devices, mining, oil and gas, and utility infrastructure sectors. Its innovative, reliable, and literally groundbreaking robotic systems operate throughout space: in commercial launch vehicles and satellites and doing innovative work on the Moon, Mars, and Titan. Honeybee’s extensive experience in planetary robotics and mechanisms, drills, motors, actuators, drive electronics, and specialized space mechanisms is complementary to Blue Origin’s system capability’s goal of making space flight routine, and vision of opening space resources to benefit Earth. 

“We’ve been building Honeybee’s capabilities and brand for almost forty years,” said Kiel Davis, President of Honeybee Robotics. “Joining Blue Origin is a major step forward for us. We thank the entire EBI family for their support over the last four and a half years. With Blue Origin we look forward to further expanding our capacity to meet the most exciting challenges in next-generation space transportation, space mobility, space destinations, and planetary science and exploration.”   

Honeybee’s current business will continue to operate “business as usual” with no notable changes to its brand, leaders, customer commitments, products, services or processes. Over time, the combined capabilities of Honeybee and Blue Origin will create new opportunities, efficiencies, and innovations as they work together to develop space to benefit Earth. 

“We’re beyond excited to welcome Honeybee Robotics to our team,” said Brent Sherwood, senior vice president of Advanced Development Programs for Blue Origin. “We know Honeybee’s leadership. We value the company’s brand, talent, unique expertise, and product lines. And we know that together we will make bold things possible.”   

About Honeybee Robotics 

Honeybee Robotics creates advanced robotic systems for the world’s most demanding environments and applications. Honeybee Robotics is an R&D engineering company that creates unique solutions for its customers’ challenges, on Earth and in space. Its robotic solutions are designed to enhance the user experience and extend capabilities beyond what’s currently possible. Honeybee Robotics serves the spacecraft, planetary exploration, defense robotics, medical devices, mining, oil & gas, and utility infrastructure industries. Honeybee Robotics make next-generation applications a reality through creative, collaborative engineering that combines the best minds with the best technology. As an R&D service provider, Honeybee Robotics is deeply committed to delivering results for its customers and partners, from early-stage feasibility studies, to prototyping, to production and product validation. Since 1983, Honeybee Robotics has completed more than 1,000 advanced projects for NASA, the US Department of Defense, academia, industry and others.

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Jefferies LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to Ensign Bickford Industries and WilmerHale served as legal advisor in connection with the transaction.