HAHN Automation presents “SmartSolutions” for easy operation in industrial automation

/in

HAHN Automation presents the product innovation SmartSolutions as industrial automation solution for manufacturing companies

On August 20, 2020 the machine building company HAHN Automation will present “SmartSolutions,” their newest product series with “SmartSolutions”. The industrial processing systems can represent a variety of processes and are particularly easy to operate. In combination with the specially developed software “SIA” (smart intuitive automation), users can set up and control their systems on a tablet. The user interface design is similar to a smartphone, using symbols and graphics to display changeable parameters. Even inexperienced operators can quickly find their way around the software and adapt the SmartSolutions systems to their individual requirements.

The SmartSolutions are each equipped with a camera that sends a live photo during the setup process, for maximum precision in the definition of processing points. Due to the intelligent menu navigation, operators know at all times, which step of the process they are currently at. The system guides the user through a step-by-step setup process, while graphic elements facilitate operation and make the user interface well-structured and easy to understand. In addition, some program sections are already preconfigured and included in the delivery, meaning that the operator can access them as needed at any time.

“Our goal was to develop a machining system that is easy to operate for anyone without any technical knowledge and yet does not allow any compromises in precision” explains Frank Konrad, Managing Director of HAHN Automation. “SmartSolutions can map almost every conceivable industrial machining process and are suitable for articles starting from a batch size of one single item”, Konrad elaborates about the new product series. With the development of the SmartSolutions and their intuitively operable software “SIA” HAHN Automation has succeeded in creating an absolute market innovation.

In August the “SmartSolutions Press” for joining and press-in processes, “SmartSolutions Torque” for screwing processes and the “SmartSolutions Dispense” for dosing and greasing will be presented to the market. Further system types for laser marking and optical inspection are already in development.

For further information, please visit the HAHN Automation website at www.hahnautomation.com or send an email to smartsolutions@hahnautomation.com

HAHN Group names COO for Material Handling Division

/in

Frankfurt, Germany – Gregor Kessler strengthens the management of the Material Handling Division in the HAHN Group

Gregor Kessler joined the HAHN Group as COO of the Material Handling Division on August 17, 2020. The Material Handling Division includes the companies WEMO Automation, Waldorf Technik and GeKu Automation Systems with locations in Germany, Sweden, the USA and Turkey. Gregor Kessler supports Bernhard Rupke, who continues to be responsible for the areas of sales and service as managing director of the division.

Gregor Kessler held various management positions in the areas of supply chain and operations management during his professional career and was most recently responsible for global supply chain management at Siemens Logistics GmbH as Senior Vice President.

Thanks to his many years of experience, the qualified industrial engineer is familiar with the requirements in the healthcare sector, one of the focus industries of the HAHN Group’s Material Handling Division. With his international experience and knowledge in the field of plastics processing, he will also be able to drive the further internationalization of the companies he is responsible for.

“With Gregor Kessler as COO of the Material Handling Division, we complement the management team in the areas of operations, supply chain and processes,” explains Philipp Unterhalt, Managing Director of the HAHN Group. “In this way, we can support the individual strengths of our companies even better and further expand our cooperation and performance in order to be a stable partner for our customers even during difficult times.”

DAHL Automation becomes member of the HAHN Group

/in

The HAHN Group acquires DAHL Automation, expanding its competence in the field of intralogistics and AMR.

Effective March 27, 2020, DAHL Automation GmbH became part of HAHN Group GmbH. DAHL Automation is an integrator for robotics, cobots, as well as AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) and AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle). 30 employees are currently employed at the headquarters in Meinerzhagen, Germany. The company has extensive experience in the development of products and solutions with cobots, grippers, image processing systems and standardized training cells. With its expertise in the field of robotics and intralogistics projects, DAHL Automation is expanding the HAHN Group’s portfolio.

Detlev Dahl, founder and managing director of DAHL Automation, will continue to lead the company. “We are delighted to be joining the HAHN Group as a strong, long-term partner,” explains Dahl. “The combination of international orientation and proximity to the customer is very promising for us. We look forward to expanding our range of services together with the sister companies in the HAHN Group, as well as opening up new industries and markets.”

“DAHL Automation is a pioneer in the field of collaborative robotics and has established itself with well-known customers, providing innovative automation solutions. The company’s its expertise fits perfectly into the HAHN Group portfolio,” comments Thomas Hähn, founder and CEO of the HAHN Group. “With the solutions from DAHL Automation, harmonious teams of people and robots can be created in the long term. This ensures better production conditions and offers specialists the opportunity to develop their full potential in demanding areas of activity.”

Modern automation allows quick response for high demand

/in

The HAHN Group enables the medical industry to react quickly to increasing demand in production.

The tailor-made automation solutions of the HAHN Group offer the best quality and the highest precision for manufacturers in the medical industries. The advantages of the HAHN Group’s global presence allows it to access components and experts quickly. Companies in the medical industry benefit from the HAHN Group as a partner for automation, particularly in this time with challenging tasks and high demand.

Invotec GmbH offers equipment validation as part of companies’ process validation

/in

Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany – The new Invotec process offers support for companies to satisfy the new European Medical Device Regulation (EU-MDR).

Invotec is now offering a new equipment validation program to support medical device manufacturers facing implications from the new European Medical Device Regulation (EU-MDR).

Set to take effect this year, the EU-MDR will require medical device manufacturers to meet higher documentation requirements within a shorter reporting deadline—meaning many manufacturers are facing a significant increase in effort during the validation process. Invotec GmbH has developed over the past six months a standard process that provides customers with the best support. The integration of equipment validation into the project process eases the pressure of validation.

During the planning phase, Invotec works with the customer to create a customized project plan and define the necessary documentation to satisfy the EU-MDR. The following design phase builds on these definitions and works to minimize risks through controlled documentation of the development. Finally, in the testing phase, the functionality is verified and documentation for the performance of the equipment is provided.

Despite the streamlined process, customers can choose from flexible options throughout the process, ensuring that they have the necessary equipment information to meet their individual needs. Experts from the Invotec team in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany will be available for interview at Pharmapack Europe 2020 on February 5 – 6 (Booth #B2) to explain the process, talk about latest advances in automation and discuss this program. The rollout of a similar program for US-based customers is planned for later this year.

Jointly with Invotec Waldorf Technik GmbH, a sister company of Invotec within the HAHN Group, will be at Pharmapack Europe. Waldorf Technik is also active in medical technology and the healthcare industries and highlights at the fair Waldorf Technik’s Vario TIP® system, which ensures maximum productivity, minimum space needed and increased patient safety. Vario TIP® is the patented, worldwide leading system concept for manufacturing pipette tips and blood reagent containers. Besides proven cycle times of up to 4.5 seconds and high cavity numbers of up to 128, the Vario TIP® Systems stand out with their extremely space-saving design and complete cavity sorting.

GeKu names Ingo Heuer and Cord Rodenberg as additional managing directors

/in

Diepenau, Germany – Ingo Heuer and Cord Rodenberg join the GeKu management team alongside Thorsten Gerling.

Effective February 1, 2020, Ingo Heuer and Cord Rodenberg became members of the management of GeKu Automatisierungssysteme GmbH. This reflects the company’s growth in recent years. In their roles, the new managing directors take over the operational management of the company. Thorsten Gerling remains CEO of GeKu and will focus on the company’s future strategic direction and development. The management trio aims to further develop GeKu and its employees within the HAHN Group, leading them successfully into the future with continuous growth.

Ingo Heuer and Cord Rodenberg have firm roots in the company. Heuer joined GeKu in 2013, three years later he advanced to the position of technical manager. Rodenberg has had a similar career trajectory. After several positions in German mechanical engineering companies, Rodenberg joined GeKu as a sales engineer, where he became sales manager in 2016. Heuer and Rodenberg have completed an additional degree in business administration while working at GeKu, which means that they are well prepared for their role as managing directors. Both have been responsible for many areas of the company independently since the beginning of 2019. The official raise into the management is the next step.

“In Ingo Heuer and Cord Rodenberg, we have found two additional managing directors for GeKu, which complement each other perfectly,” explains Thorsten Gerling, founder and managing director of GeKu Automatisierungssysteme GmbH. “We are certain that with this expansion in our management we will continue to promote and secure the positive development of GeKu. We are also proud to have such qualified talents in our own ranks.”

In addition to the strategic management of GeKu as managing director, Thorsten Gerling takes over the development of HAHN Robotics Diepenau GmbH as managing partner. The newly founded company will start operations in spring 2020. The new company is already planning for strong growth. Together with GeKu’s 25th anniversary, this development demonstrates the durability and innovative strength of the Diepenau location.

HAHN Automation expands its management

/in

Rheinböllen, Germany – Philipp Klaschka and Jörg Kilb strengthen the management of HAHN Automation

Effective January 1, 2020, the management of HAHN Automation was expanded with Philipp Klaschka and Jörg Kilb. They support Frank Konrad, who remains CEO of HAHN Automation and drives the company’s strategic decisions and developments, with its well over 800 employees at eleven locations in eight countries.

Jörg Kilb takes charge of the operational tasks as Chief Operations Officer (COO), focusing on the further integration of international subsidiaries and increasing efficiency in processes and systems. As Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), Philipp Klaschka is responsible for the customer-oriented functions of sales, service and project management. Both are experts in the field of automation and have many years of experience within HAHN Automation.

The graduate industrial engineer Jörg Kilb started his career at HAHN Automation GmbH in Rheinböllen following his studies at TU Kaiserslautern, Germany. After working as an assistant to the management and member of the organizational development, he was among others involved as branch manager in the operational management of the company. In 2017 Jörg Kilb joined the HAHN Group, where he initially worked as Head of Supply Chain Management, IT & Risk Management. In his last position, Jörg Kilb acted as Division Director for the Assembly & Test division of the HAHN Group, which in addition to HAHN Automation also includes Invotec, REI Automation and DFT Maschinenbau.

Philipp Klaschka studied engineering physics at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, United States. Building on this, he obtained his MBA from the University of Mannheim, Germany. Before joining HAHN Automation, Philipp Klaschka worked for companies such as Festo AG, Deloitte Consulting and Norma Group and spent three years of his career in Asia and eleven years in the United States. He thus has valuable experience in all of HAHN Automation’s growth markets. There, Philipp Klaschka was responsible for the successful establishment of the Chinese subsidiary before being appointed the current CEO of the US subsidiary HAHN Automation, Inc. He will continue to work in this role until a successor is appointed.

“The expansion of the management reflects the growth of recent years and supports the further internationalization of HAHN Automation,” explains Frank Konrad, CEO of HAHN Automation. “With Jörg Kilb and Philipp Klaschka, we are appointing two leaders to the management who know and develop the company, its activities and markets very well. We are particularly proud that we have this potential in the ranks of our own employees.”

Axel Greschitz new CFO of the HAHN Group

/in

Frankfurt, Germany – Starting January 1, 2020, Axel Greschitz is the new CFO of the HAHN Group.

In his new role as CFO, Axel Greschitz strengthens the management team of the HAHN Group, which already includes Thomas Hähn and Philipp Unterhalt.

For his work in the HAHN Group, Axel Greschitz brings extensive experience in the areas of controlling, accounting, project development and financing. In addition, the successful completion of M&A transactions and due diligence processes on the buyer and seller side offers great added value for the dynamically growing HAHN Group.

Axel Greschitz graduated as a Master of Business Administration from the University of Graz. He then started his career in various positions in accounting and controlling, with early experience in the entire DACH region. Axel Greschitz began classically with Dr. Pöschl Wirtschaftstreuhand GmbH in tax advice and then worked for 4 years as a tax expert at Austrian Energy & Environment AG in Graz. This was followed by 3 years as CFO and member of the executive board at AE&E Austria GmbH & Co KG and then at AE&E Inova Holding AG in Zurich, Switzerland. Most recently he was CFO and member of the management of Hitachi Zosen Inova AG Zurich, Switzerland.

“We are very pleased that Mr. Greschitz is taking on the responsibility as CFO for the HAHN Group,” said Thomas Hähn, founder and CEO of the HAHN Group. “His extensive financial knowledge from various leading positions, as well as experience in an international and cross-location environment of medium-sized companies, make Greschitz the ideal partner for the management team and further development of the HAHN Group.”

HAHN Group ranked as one of the most innovative companies in the world

/in

Frankfurt, Germany – In the ranking of EconSight for the German Handelsblatt newspaper, the HAHN Group holds place 36 among the most innovative companies in Germany.

Every year, the Swiss EconSight GmbH examines companies in terms of their innovation power at the intersection of digitalization and applied technologies. Three factors are assessed for the analysis: The networking of digital and existing technologies, digitalization and the dynamics in its implementation. In the final ranking, the HAHN Group holds the 36th place among the most innovative German companies in 2019. Within the first 10 positions there are several longtime partners and customers of the HAHN Group. VW Group, Bosch and Siemens lead the German ranking of most innovative companies. In the global assessment for 2019, the HAHN Group is among the top 500 companies.

The company and product portfolio of the diversified HAHN Group serves the increasing demand for technologies in the fields of automation, robotics and solutions for Industry 4.0. With its 14 brands, the group is represented in numerous promising industries such as electronics, medical technology, medical devices, consumer goods and the automotive industry.

Each company within the HAHN Group is an industry expert with a high degree of innovation in its field. For example, HAHN Automation has been awarded the Innovation Prize of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate several times in the Digitalization/Industry 4.0 category. HAHN Digital continues the development of the innovative product portfolio EVE Suite to implement the digital transformation for smart factories. With the launch of WIPS 4.0, WEMO enables even more user-friendly dialog programming of robots. The company Walther Systemtechnik introduced the fully automatic degassing system for greases in 2019. The innovative strength of the HAHN Group remains at a high level for the coming year as well. In 2020, HAHN Automation will launch a completely new concept for automated assembly and testing processes.

Thomas Hähn, CEO of HAHN Group, comments on the outcome: “Position 36 in the EconSight ranking of the most innovative companies in Germany is a fantastic result for us. The outstanding achievements of our employees and the cooperation of our teams make this success possible.”

HAHN Group expands its footprint in the United States by acquiring REI Automation, Inc.

/in

Frankfurt, Germany – HAHN Group acquired REI Automation, Inc., which will continue to operate under existing management.

The HAHN Group, a leading provider for factory automation and robotic solutions, has acquired REI Automation, Inc. The takeover is effective as of 01. November 2019. With the company based in Columbia, South Carolina, the HAHN Group adds a hub in the important industrial area of the Southeast and strengthens its regional coverage in the United States. REI Automation will complement the Assembly & Test Division within the HAHN Group. With 80 employees and USD 25 million revenue, REI Automation focuses on medical, electronics and consumer goods. The recent acquisition is once more reflecting the strategy of the HAHN Group to diversify its business across industries and regions.

“We found a passionate team with an impressive track record building the company in the past and ambitious plans to develop it further,” says Philipp Unterhalt, Managing Director of HAHN Group. “We are ready to support REI Automation on its further journey and are delighted to have them on board.”

Operations of REI Automation will continue under the existing management, which will also remain as shareholders going forward. Grant Phillips, CEO of REI Automation comments: “We are excited to begin planning with a partner who has all the experience in bringing a company to the next level. For REI Automation and its clients the transaction is a very important step into a reliable and sustainable future.”

With the acquisition HAHN Group continues its buy and build strategy to form a global network of automation specialists. HAHN Group is owned by Germany’s largest foundation RAG-Stiftung and employs meanwhile nearly 1.400 employees in 13 countries, serving clients in various industries around the world.