Companies Say Acquisition Positions Both for Growth in AR/VR, Drone Tracking, and Computer Visualization and Animation

Video display systems specialist Planar Systems is acquiring optical-tracking technology company NaturalPoint, which makes the OptiTrack family of motion-capture products.

Planar Systems is paying $125 million cash for NaturalPoint in a transaction that's expected to close late in 2016 or early in 2017. NaturalPoint is expected to operate independently with its executive team intact following the purchase.

Both companies positioned the acquisition as a way to strengthen their approach to the emerging AR and VR markets as well as CAVEs, drone tracking, and computer visualization and animation. "This acquisition recognizes the ecosystem relationship that exists between tracking and display technology," said NaturalPoint CEO Jim Richardson in a prepared statement.

"We believe these two companies will complement each other and create significant opportunities for growth," said Planar Chairman Zach Zhang in the statement. 

NaturalPoint has a 25,000-square-foot facility in Corvallis, OR, about 80 miles south of Planar's Beaverton headquarters.