Wittmann reorganizes the management team: From May 2026, owners Michael Wittmann and Dr. Werner Wittmann will combine the management of the entire group of companies in a dual leadership team. Rainer Weingraber is leaving the company.
Automated storage systems place high demands on the drives in horizontal and vertical conveyor technology.
Current TOP 5
Electricity price subsidies decided
The EU Commission has approved the German industrial electricity price: Until the end of 2028, electricity costs for energy-intensive companies can be subsidized with 3.8 billion euros and capped at five cents per kilowatt hour. The VCI criticizes the relief effect as being too low.
A start-up project at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) aims to fundamentally simplify the production of green hydrogen: Mass-produced photoreactor panels are to be used to produce hydrogen directly from sunlight and water - without electrolysers, without electricity consumption and without a grid connection.
Digital employees are automating routine tasks in industrial companies: Guest author Sören Michl, Vice President AI Adoption at IFS, uses four practical examples to show how AI agents speed up processes, reduce errors and increase efficiency.
On the occasion of the strike announced by ver.di on the first two days of Hannover Messe 2026 (20 and 21 April), which will paralyze public transport in Hanover, the organizer, Deutsche Messe, is expressing clear criticism and great concern about the impact on the trade fair and business location.
New connectors and an app solution for the IIoT framework from PLCnext Technology make it easier to collect data from controllers, sensors and field devices - especially in existing systems.
Drive technology from Faulhaber
Humanoid robots are seen as a beacon of hope for industry - but their success depends largely on the right drive technology.
Access solution for complex building openings
Assa Abloy is expanding its portfolio with the Aperio DR100, a card reader with relay for demanding access points. The solution supports online and offline scenarios as well as various identification media and facilitates integration into existing access and building management systems.
AI as an efficiency driver in production
Industrial AI raises key production figures such as OEE, quality and energy efficiency to a new level - but only with the right IT architecture. This is what Chris Kramar, Director and General Manager OEM Solutions DACH at Dell Technologies, says in his guest article.
At the "European Robotics Forum" (ERF) at the end of March, the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA, together with Trumpf and Lorch, won the "euRobotics Technology Transfer Award". The entry was a no-code solution that enables companies to use cobots for small batch sizes without specialist knowledge or high costs for welding.
Energy-intensive industries are facing major challenges: Complex supply chains, fossil raw materials and processes that are difficult to decarbonize make the path to greenhouse gas neutrality more difficult. A guest article by Dr. Gabriela Espinosa from TÜV Süd Energietechnik.
Practical forum for production
The digitalization of production is no longer a topic for the future - it happens exactly where IT and OT meet. But how can this integration succeed in practice? The IT/OT Integration Summit on June 24, 2026 in Augsburg will provide a clear answer to this question.
Predictive maintenance pays off. This is because early detection of impending failures means that systems can be serviced in a targeted manner before production downtime occurs. But how complex is it to integrate such a maintenance concept into an existing system? Siemens tested this with a test plant.
At Hannover Messe 2026, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft will be presenting solutions for a resilient industry: from AI and data rooms to hydrogen technologies and material and recycling innovations.
From sensor handle to sensorless control
At the Hannover Messe, a research team led by Matthias Nienhaus from Saarland University will be demonstrating just how far intelligent drive wheels have come. The systems make it easier to maneuver a wide variety of loads and, depending on the application, can now manage with or even without a sensor handle.
Sales increase by 10 percent in 2025
ifm group se increases its turnover by 10 percent to EUR 1.47 billion in 2025. Strong international business compensates for the weak German market.
An industry that organizes itself
At Hannover Messe 2026, Bosch will be showing how agentic AI, digital twins and new production technologies are transforming industry. The focus will be on efficiency, automation and battery recycling.
Security Operations Center module
Adlon is further developing its Security Operations Center and adding another module to the existing Managed SOC for Microsoft 365 environments (based on Managed XDR): Managed SOC Advanced.
Fruitcore Robotics is launching two new 6-axis industrial robots, the Horst600 G2 and Horst800 G2. The second generation of the Horst platform achieves up to 40 percent shorter cycle times, a doubled payload and a larger workspace.
