North Rhine-Westphalia has the best prerequisites for the digital age. Mechanical engineering and production technology companies are particularly in demand as enablers and problem solvers. They act as suppliers of Industrie 4.0 modules, as integrators of ICT technologies in their products, and not least as users of Industrie 4.0 solutions to optimize their own production processes.
More than almost any other German state, North Rhine-Westphalia has set out to tap the potential of Industry 4.0. NRW has a globally unique mix of Industrie 4.0-relevant companies in a broad range of industries in a very small area.
Mechanical and plant engineering is the driver for Industry 4.0
As the largest industrial employer and enabler for numerous other sectors, mechanical and plant engineering is already a cross-sector driver for increased digitization in North Rhine-Westphalia. Industry and science are closely networked and work together in a practical manner. All players benefit from a research and university landscape that is both strong in technology and close to industry.
In order to leverage the potential that NRW has, networking plays an important role in expanding one’s own opportunities, in addition to technical and corporate cultural adjustments. The focus here is on networking within and outside traditional industry definitions – nationally and internationally – but also on closing ranks with companies along the value chain. Reservations, for example with regard to know-how protection, must be overcome and the focus placed on the advantages of such cooperation.
Unterstützungsangebote von ProduktionNRW
ProduktionNRW supports North Rhine-Westphalian mechanical and plant engineering and production technology to advance the opportunities of digitalization in their own companies and production to increase competitiveness.
ProduktionNRW acts with powerful partners, such as Economy and work 4.0, as well as a variety of other regional, national and international networks.
Event offerings such as workshops, information events, experience exchanges, working groups, and lab and factory tours ensure a professional exchange among participants and support in translating into solutions. In addition, ProduktionNRW provides information material via trade magazines, brochures, websites and newsletters and ensures broad thematic penetration of the topic in mechanical and plant engineering.
In addition, ProduktionNRW engages in strategic dialog with politics, science and the public. The aim is to present a strong case for the position and challenges of the mechanical engineering/plant technology lead market sector with regard to digitization and to call for a new course to be set. Bilateral talks serve this purpose, as do exchanges of views in political committees or events that enable dialog between industry, science and politics.
In this way, a bundling and transmission of knowledge is achieved from which all participants benefit. ProduktionNRW sees itself as a mediator and mouthpiece, especially for those companies that are currently working intensively to make themselves, and thus also the industrial location of NRW, a pioneer in the field of Industry 4.0.