Acer Inc. is acquiring a controlling stake in Japanese barcode scanner manufacturer Optoelectronics Co., known commercially as Opticon, as the Taiwanese computer maker continues shifting resources toward industrial technology.
Acer will pay ¥1.59 billion ($10.2 million) for approximately 38% of Opticon, while Taiwan-based investment firm Esquarre Capital will take a 20% stake for ¥819 million ($5.3 million). The transaction is expected to close in early 2026.
The deal fits Acer’s ongoing pivot away from its traditional PC business. Non-computer segments now account for nearly 29% of the company’s total revenue, up from lower levels in prior years. Acer has been building an ecosystem of industrial technology subsidiaries, including point-of-sale specialist Posiflex and industrial computer maker AOPEN.
Opticon, founded in 1976, produces barcode scanners, handheld computers, and electronic shelf labels for logistics, retail, and healthcare applications. The company will become Acer’s sixteenth publicly listed subsidiary.
CEO Jason Chen characterized the acquisition as consistent with Acer’s expansion into AIoT edge computing. Esquarre executives indicated plans to transition Opticon from a device manufacturer toward broader solution offerings.
Whether Acer can extract meaningful synergies from its growing portfolio of industrial subsidiaries remains to be seen. The company’s strategy bets that fragmented niche businesses can collectively offset pressures in the mature PC market.
