Interview
Innovation in competition
Jakob Antriebstechnik is taking part in the Industrial Production Products of the Year 2026 competition. In an interview with Andreas Mühlbauer, Dr. Arno Wörn, Head of Development and Head of R&D, explains what makes participation particularly attractive for the company and where the focus of product development lies.
What motivated you to take part in the Products of the Year 2026 competition?
Our main motivation is to show how innovative drive solutions such as the Simple-Flex spacer clutch create added value. In a market characterized by trends such as increasing power density, energy efficiency and cost savings, as an innovative company with over 50 years of experience, we want to show how our claim to innovation, quality and customer benefit is reflected in our products and new developments. The Products of the Year competition offers us an excellent platform for this. It enables us to present our technological expertise to a broad specialist audience and receive valuable feedback.
What challenges do you face when developing new products?
Developing new products is very challenging. The first step is to reconcile technical feasibility with market demand. We have to find the balance between a technologically convincing, innovative solution and the actual requirements. Excessive technical demands entail investment risks, while an overly market-oriented solution leaves technological potential untapped. Furthermore, development and product costs must be in proportion to the expected customer benefit or realistic market prices. At the same time, quality and reliability requirements place high demands. Service life, safety and robust and reliable performance must be proven in realistic test environments. Extensive tests require resources and planning so that quality is not only tested in the market. Resource planning completes this picture through the efficient use of personnel, budget and time windows. Clear milestones, risk and capacity management as well as close coordination between development, product management, production and sales help to drive the project forward in a targeted manner. Sustainability is also becoming increasingly important. The focus is on environmentally friendly materials, recyclability and a positiveCO2 balance. We take ecological aspects into account as early as the design and procurement phase in order to conserve resources and create sustainable value. We balance innovation with realism, ensure cost-effectiveness, guarantee quality, coordinate resources efficiently and integrate sustainability into the product concept from the outset.
What will Jakob Antriebstechnik focus on in development in the coming years?
Jakob Antriebstechnik focuses on a close link between development and customer benefit in order to combine technological excellence with economic feasibility. As a solution provider, we want to address the specific challenges of our customers and develop products that are precisely tailored to their requirements. In the future, topics such as energy efficiency, automation, sustainability and cost savings will play a central role. Digital twins and our modern finite element simulation environment help us to implement these developments in an efficient and targeted manner.
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