Strong together in solutions for digitalization and automation

Happy about the future collaboration: Michael Matthesius (Head of Division Automation Products & Solutions at Weidmüller Group), Gerhard Luftensteiner (CEO of KEBA AG), Volker Bibelhausen (Chief Technology Officer of Weidmüller Group), and Christian Gabriel (Vice President of Automation at KEBA AG). (Copyright: Weidmüller)

The electrical engineering company Weidmüller and the Austrian expert in industrial automation KEBA are teaming up to mutually enhance their digitalization and automation portfolios. Both companies announced this during SPS 2018 in Nuremberg. The focus is on joint offerings for industrial automation technology with an emphasis on machinery and plant engineering. Additionally, both firms aim to promote the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in automation.

"We are pleased to have found an experienced partner in industrial automation with KEBA, which helps to complement our automation expertise. The combination of u-control with the KEBA Engineering Suite ideally supports our customers in implementing demanding automation concepts and Industry 4.0 solutions," explains Volker Bibelhausen, CTO of the Weidmüller Group. Michael Matthesius, Head of Division Automation Products & Solutions at Weidmüller, shares this view: "When two excellent companies like Weidmüller and KEBA cooperate, our customers can be sure that one plus one here equals more than two." Gerhard Luftensteiner, CEO of KEBA AG, adds: "We are convinced that our product and service offerings for industrial customers complement each other perfectly. All customers seeking excellent digitalization and automation solutions for Industry 4.0 will now benefit from our combined industry and technology expertise."

With this cooperation, Weidmüller, headquartered in Detmold, North Rhine-Westphalia, and KEBA, based in Linz, Austria, aim for a coordinated presence with customers, focusing on machinery and plant engineering in their respective markets. The partners will exchange relevant components of their portfolios. KEBA will primarily contribute its open software solutions and parts of its control architecture, while Weidmüller will mainly bring in its expanded u-mation product family, introduced at SPS 2018, and its innovative Industrial Analytics offerings. Both companies will work closely together in further developing their product, solution, and service offerings.

Founded in 1968 in Linz, KEBA is an expert in industrial automation with focuses on series machinery manufacturing, robotics, plastics technology, as well as banking automation, electromobility, logistics solutions, lottery solutions, and heating control systems. Weidmüller, based in Detmold, Germany, specializes in automation, digitalization, communication, and connection components, as well as software and solutions, particularly in the industrial environment. Both companies are privately owned.