ZVEI
Efficiency turnaround through automation
The ZVEI Section Automation announced on the occasion of the SPS that positive impetus for the economy could only be created if the existing efficiency potential was exploited as quickly as possible through automation. At present, the outlook for 2025 is still gloomy.
»Only if we exploit the existing efficiency potential through automation as quickly as possible and scale up digital, networked solutions such as Industry 4.0 and drive forward Factory-X together will we create positive momentum for the economy,« says Rainer Brehm, Chairman of the ZVEI Section Automation, assessing the economic situation and the automation industry's important contribution to innovation. At the SPS trade fair, which started yesterday in Nuremberg, he continued: »We need a turnaround in efficiency - not only in the industry, but especially in politics. Companies need competitive framework conditions and planning security. They need to be relieved of unnecessary bureaucracy in order to create more room for innovation.« Recent surveys by KfW, for example, have made it clear that bureaucracy has become the biggest location risk for German industry, ahead of taxes and energy costs.
Instead of ever-increasing regulation, support for digital infrastructures and initiatives such as Manufacturing-X is important. »We need to promote the establishment of sovereign data ecosystems and the development of Industry 4.0 and industrial AI applications in networked value chains - in order to increase efficiency and enable new business models,« Brehm demands.
In September 2024, automation companies received 5.4% fewer orders than a year earlier. In the overall period from January to September 2024, orders were 7% below the previous year's figure. Turnover fell by 6.8% in September. In the first nine months of this year, it fell by 8.3% overall. The ZVEI expects a smaller decline in the fourth quarter due to base effects from the previous year. The outlook for 2025 is currently still gloomy. "Automation follows the economy of its customer industries," says Brehm.
ZVEI Section Automation at SPS 2024: Hall 3, Stand 331
You might also be interested in
Native Integration of Codesys Control SL in u-OS
With the availability of 'Codesys Control SL' as an app on 'u-OS', Weidmüller is expanding the application possibilities of the open operating system for the Industrial IoT and industrial automation.
read more...Siemens makes a strong Start to Fiscal Year 2026
Siemens raises its forecast for 2026 after a strong first quarter. Order intake and sales increased significantly, industrial earnings rose at a double-digit rate. The order backlog reached an all-time high of 120 billion euros.
read more...Interview with Dr. Tobias Frank, Phoenix...
The PLC remains – but changes
Virtual controllers complement traditional PLC systems rather than replacing them. Phoenix Contact explains where virtualization makes sense and how it is reshaping automation.
read more...Industrial AI at SPS | Bosch Rexroth
"AI will be an important Driver for Production Optimization"
From automated code generation to smart saw blade sharpening: Bosch Rexroth is making AI applicable in industry. In the interview, Steffen Winkler talks about concrete benefits, pilot projects, and why openness is decisive for the success of...
read more...Verband Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken...
Machine Tool Industry not expecting an Upturn until 2026
The recovery of the machine tool industry has been postponed once again, predicts Dr. Markus Heering, Executive Director of the VDW. The association does not expect to return to a stable growth path until 2026.
read more...Siemens continues its growth trajectory
Siemens continued its growth trajectory in the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 (ending June 30, 2025). However, the Industrial Business recorded a decline of 7 percent.
read more...Pleasing first quarter for mechanical engineering
The first quarter of 2025 resulted in an overall increase in orders of 4% - the first positive quarterly balance of orders in three years. March also closed with an increase in orders of 4%.
read more...Minimizing Downtime with AI
Machines not only produce goods but also generate large amounts of data. This data can be transformed into actionable insights through AI, revealing specific optimization opportunities for companies. Sebastian Werler, Head of Product Management...
read more...Virtualized Control Technology in Practice
Software determines functionality in televisions, vehicles, smartphones, and increasingly in industrial automation and industrial control systems. This development has led to the emergence of virtual PLCs (vPLCs). The following article describes how...
read more...