Weinig InTech 2016: Paving the way for the future with W4.0 Digital

11/18/2016

The Weinig Group can look back on another successful InTech, the com-pany's traditional in-house trade fair. Around 1,000 customers from 32 countries accepted the invitation to Tauberbischofsheim to gather infor-mation and gain inspiration for new investments.

Weinig presented its complete range covering the entire value chain in solid wood processing over more than 4,000 m2 and underlined its leading position in Industry 4.0, a key issue for the future, with W4.0 Digital technologies. A total of 30 machines and systems were sold across the group. The order volume was significantly higher than the previous InTech in 2014. At the press conference on the eve of the in-house trade fair, CEO Wolfgang Pöschl also reported on the pleasing growth of the Weinig Group.

The mix of live demonstrations and practical information so popular with our customers once again shaped the agenda at the 22nd InTech. A central theme was digitization of production, for which Weinig has developed an extensive portfolio of solutions. These range from “System Plus” for planing and profiling and “OptiPal” for cutting to “Fencon” and “master computer technology” for window production. Machine monitoring and predictive maintenance are further key issues covered by Weinig, particularly via its innovative “Service app”. In addition, in “Millvision”, Weinig provides a high-performance solution for furniture production. Group company Holz-Her offers an attractive concept in the cutting of panels with the “smart workshop”. All of these systems target “maximum transparency of processes”, as Chief Sales Officer Gregor Baumbusch explained. The most important thing, he stressed, is to “achieve improvements in terms of costs, availability and resources for customers while keeping operation as simple as possible.” The requirements placed on businesses by Industry 4.0 were illustrated by Prof. Dr. Hube in his accompanying presentation, which drew an interested crowd on every day of the in-house trade fair. “Data is the fuel of the 21st century,” stated the economist. He believes this development applies not only to components of production technology but to all processes in the company. In the first instance, he recommended a careful review of the company's readiness for the major challenge before commencing with the first pilot projects.

Besides the central theme of “digitization of production”, the Product Unit Planing and Profiling was in particular demand from visitors to InTech 2016. A number of orders were taken for the Powermat 2400 moulder among other models. The Weinig “Classic Shop” with its wide range of pre-owned machines was also able to secure a gratifying order tally. The presentations from Weinig Concept, currently enjoying great success in the market with complete system solutions, also drew significant attention. The numerous innovations at InTech included the OptiCut S60 wflex+ cutting system for fully-automated length and width cutting in a single work stage, the enhanced ProfiPress T Next Generation gluing press and four-sided contour milling. The innovation sees Weinig transfer a typical processing center application to a profiling machine. Visitors were also able to witness complete customer systems in action including, for the first time, furniture production on the Conturex system. Demonstration of complex installations will be made possible by the integration of the assembly halls into the exhibition space. “A great opportunity for InTech,” underlined Wolfgang Pöschl.

On the eve of InTech, the CEO joined Chief Sales Officer Gregor Baumbusch, Chief Financial Officer Gerald Schmidt and the product unit directors to answer questions from 30 members of the trade press. One recurring theme was the company's financial figures. Accordingly, the group expects to achieve a turnover of €380m for the current year. This represents an increase of 6% year on year for the world market leader in machines and systems for solid wood and panel processing. “On the whole pleasing growth, which we currently expect to continue next year,” said Wolfgang Pöschl in closing.

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