Hexagon buys UK marine sensor maker Guidance Marine, €22M in revenue
What's the deal? HexagonDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has agreed to acquire Guidance MarineDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a UK-based maker of sensors that measure a vessel's position relative to nearby structures such as offshore platforms, wind turbines and quaysides. The deal, announced August 26, 2026, is expected to close by the end of 2026. Terms were not disclosed.
What does Guidance Marine do? Founded in 1991 and based in Leicester, it serves customers in more than 40 countries. Its radar, laser, vision and microwave-based sensors help ships hold station and manoeuvre within metres of fixed and floating assets, and integrate with all major Dynamic Positioning (DP) systems.
What's the endgame? The two firms' technologies complement each other. Hexagon's GNSS and positioning services establish a vessel's absolute position; Guidance Marine's sensors determine its position relative to surrounding structures. Combined, they let Hexagon serve a vessel's full positioning needs from one portfolio.
By the numbers: Guidance Marine generated revenues of approximately €22 million in the year ended December 31, 2025, with an operating margin above Hexagon's average. It will join Hexagon's NovAtel Positioning DivisionDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → within the Autonomous Solutions Business Area.
Why now? The deal broadens Hexagon's reach into offshore wind, marine construction and port automation, where tighter tolerances and growing vessel autonomy are driving demand for precision station-keeping. Guidance Marine's installed base and OEM relationships speed Hexagon's access to those applications.
"Their capabilities will expand the range of positioning capabilities available across our marine business," said Gordon Dale, president of Hexagon's Autonomous Solutions Business Area.
The signal: As shipping moves toward autonomy, absolute and relative positioning are converging into single portfolios — and established players are buying specialists to cover the full stack rather than build it.
Image credit: Rab .
