Balluff GmbH

SCIO Automation is a leading German industrial automation conglomerate headquartered in Frankenthal, with approximately 1,800 employees generating over €300 million in sales. Operating as a platform of independently branded specialist companies, SCIO delivers end-to-end automation solutions for intralogistics and production processes, including automated warehouse systems, conveyor technology, AGV/AMR systems, robotic integration, and factory automation. SCIO serves sectors such as automotive, food and beverage, chemicals, life sciences, e-commerce, and the semiconductor industry, with a presence across Europe and the Americas.

Baumann Automation GmbH is a German manufacturer of turnkey automation systems and robotic assembly solutions, headquartered in Amberg, Bavaria. Founded in 1984, the company has grown to over 1,000 employees across locations in Germany, China, Romania, Mexico, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Baumann is a leading system integrator for KUKA and Stäubli robotics, specialising in modular robot cells, handling and assembly systems, test solutions, and optical inspection technology. The company serves the automotive supplier, electronics, plastics, and household appliance industries, delivering custom automation from standalone robot cells to fully automated production lines. Baumann holds CE certification and operates a global after-sales service network.

MPDV is a German market leader for manufacturing IT solutions, headquartered in Mosbach with over 40 years of experience and approximately 530 employees across 13 locations in Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, China, Malaysia, Singapore, and the USA. The company's flagship product HYDRA X is a platform-based Manufacturing Execution System (MES) that covers production data acquisition, machine data collection, quality management, production planning, HR management, energy monitoring, intralogistics, and tracking & tracing — fully aligned with VDI Guideline 5600. MPDV also offers the Advanced Planning and Scheduling System (APS) FEDRA and the Manufacturing Integration Platform (MIP), an open ecosystem enabling third-party manufacturing apps. Recognised as Technology Leader in the SPARK Matrix for discrete MES, MPDV's solutions are used daily by over 1.4 million people in more than 1,400 manufacturing companies worldwide across automotive, metal, plastics, electronics, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, and general discrete manufacturing sectors.

Neoception GmbH is an industrial IIoT and digital twin software provider founded in 2017 as a spin-off of the Pepperl+Fuchs Group, headquartered in Mannheim, Germany. The company specialises in the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) standard and digital twin infrastructure for industrial environments, enabling companies to build standardised, scalable digital representations of physical assets. Neoception's product portfolio includes the Digital Twin Infrastructure (DTI) platform for automated AAS creation and deployment, eKanban solutions, and Digital Product Passport (DPP) tools. With expertise drawn from Pepperl+Fuchs's decades of sensor and automation experience, Neoception serves manufacturing companies across logistics, intralogistics, and discrete production environments seeking to accelerate Industry 4.0 adoption.

STÖBER Antriebstechnik GmbH + Co. KG, founded in 1934 and headquartered in Pforzheim, Germany, is a specialist system supplier for drive technology. With approximately 1,000 employees at 13 international locations, STÖBER develops and manufactures modular geared motors, servo drives, and drive controllers for demanding motion control applications across machine building, packaging, and logistics.

HEITEC AG is an internationally active system integrator headquartered in Erlangen, Germany. With over 1,200 employees at numerous locations, the company offers comprehensive automation, digitalization, electronics, and plant engineering solutions. HEITEC supports customers in automotive, pharma, energy, and manufacturing industries with services ranging from PLC and MES integration to SCADA engineering and digital twin development.

SPIE Automation is a specialist automation and robotics division of the SPIE Group, headquartered in Germany with approximately 350 employees across 10 locations. As a holistic project partner from initial concept through development, implementation, and maintenance, SPIE Automation delivers custom automation systems, robotic integration, process automation and visualisation, digitalisation, manufacturing and assembly solutions, and process engineering. The division serves industries including automotive, food and beverage, chemicals, life sciences, and mechanical engineering, and is a subsidiary of SPIE SA, a leading European technical services group.

Leadec is a leading global service specialist for factories across their entire life cycle. The company supports manufacturers with factory planning and optimisation, installation, automation, production maintenance, technical cleaning, facility management, and other services, providing everything from a single source. Leadec operates more than 350 locations on four continents and employs around 22,500 people. Founded in 1962, Leadec has its headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and reported sales exceeding €1.3 billion in 2024. The company’s roots are in the automotive sector, but it now serves diverse industries, including heavy trucks, off‑highway vehicles, aerospace, high‑tech electronics, consumer goods, logistics, and food & beverage, offering high standards of service across regions.

RÖSBERG Engineering is a manufacturer-independent system integrator for the process industry, headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany. Founded in 1962 and family-owned for three generations, the company provides end-to-end automation services covering process automation engineering, PLC/DCS/SCADA integration, functional safety, and industrial IT solutions. RÖSBERG serves the chemical, pharmaceutical, oil & gas, and petrochemical sectors from seven locations across Germany and China. The company is a certified Siemens PCS neo Solution Partner and develops its own I&C-CAE software suite (ProDOK, LiveDOK, Plant Assist Manager). With approximately 170 employees, RÖSBERG covers the full plant lifecycle from concept through commissioning and ongoing site engineering.

b-automated is a German system integrator specialising in cobot and collaborative robotics solutions for small and medium-sized manufacturers. Founded and led by Luciano Baumgart, the company is a recommended Yaskawa and Universal Robots integration partner, with deep experience in unmanned 24/7 machine-tending applications. A notable reference project involved automating a wire EDM machine using a Yaskawa HC10DTP cobot combined with ZeroClamp tooling and MES software — achieving near-round-the-clock autonomous operation. Services span concept development, project management, integration, and on-site commissioning.

Provider of automation components and IIoT solutions. Its portfolio includes industrial sensors and IO-Link connectivity for integrating sensors and actuators into automation systems. The company also offers condition monitoring and an IIoT platform (moneo) for collecting and analysing machine and sensor data. For data exchange to IT systems and third-party environments, ifm describes interfaces such as MQTT and OPC UA in relevant products and IIoT connectors.

SCHULZ Systemtechnik GmbH is a German automation integrator founded in 1954 and headquartered in Visbek, Lower Saxony. The company combines mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and software development to deliver complete automation solutions across four core sectors: automotive, process industry, smart buildings, and renewable energy & e-mobility. SCHULZ builds special machines, integrates robotics, constructs switchgear panels, and delivers plant-wide automation from concept to commissioning. Key clients include VW, BASF, and Hamburg Wasser. With approximately 200 employees and a group of affiliated companies, SCHULZ also offers energy solutions including EV charging infrastructure and transformer stations.

AAT Automation GmbH is a German automation specialist founded in 1995 and based in Karlsruhe, with over 30 years of experience in conveyor technology, robotics, and automated guided vehicle systems. The company employs more than 40 experts and has completed over 500 projects. It is internationally recognised for its automated baggage loading and unloading systems deployed at major airports including Amsterdam Schiphol and London Heathrow.

gat Gesellschaft für Automatisierungstechnik mbH is a German automation service provider founded in 1987, headquartered in Geesthacht near Hamburg, with branches in Schwalbach (Taunus) and Hartmannsdorf (Saxony). With approximately 170 employees, gat delivers complete automation solutions including EI&C engineering, PLC/SCADA programming, switch cabinet manufacturing, assembly, and commissioning. The company is a Siemens Solution Partner and ISO 9001 / SCC** certified. Key industries served include oil & gas, chemicals, pharma & biotech, food & beverage, and marine. gat operates internationally with completed projects in China, Korea, and across Europe.

Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG, founded in 1850 and headquartered in Detmold, Germany, is a global family-owned specialist in industrial connectivity and automation. With approximately 5,700 employees worldwide, the company develops and manufactures terminal blocks, electronic interfaces, power supplies, and digital connectivity solutions for electrification, automation, and digitalization.

Murrelektronik GmbH, founded in 1975 and headquartered in Oppenweiler, Germany, is a leading family-owned manufacturer of decentralized electrical automation technology. With over 3,200 employees worldwide, the company supplies fieldbus systems, interface modules, connectors, power supplies, and I/O devices that bring electrical power, signals, and data close to the process.

KOBOLD Instruments is an independent, privately owned manufacturer of precision process measurement and control instrumentation, founded in 1980 by Klaus J. Kobold in Germany. The company develops, manufactures, and sells instruments for monitoring, measuring, and regulating flow, pressure, level, and temperature across virtually all industrial sectors. With a global network of subsidiaries and distributors across six continents, KOBOLD serves industries including oil and gas, chemical, food and beverage, aerospace, and power generation. The product portfolio spans over 50 measurement technologies, ranging from variable area flow meters and Coriolis mass flow meters to pressure gauges, level switches, and temperature transmitters. All products are engineered for high reliability and application-specific performance, combining patented technologies with rapid adaptation to technical advances.

SpiraTec is a German industrial engineering and automation group founded in 2007, headquartered in Speyer. With over 650 employees at more than 40 locations across Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland, and the USA, SpiraTec is a multi-platform MES specialist serving the process industry. The company is a Siemens Opcenter Execution Pharma reseller partner and a Körber PAS-X Integrator at Silver Tier level, and also works with Emerson Syncade and AVEVA PI systems. SpiraTec's comprehensive portfolio spans digital transformation consulting, process engineering, MES implementation and validation, industrial automation, robotics services, and IT solutions for manufacturing. The SpiraTec Group grew significantly through its 2022 acquisition of onoff AG (now merged into SpiraTec AG), adding 35+ years of process automation expertise. SpiraTec serves pharma, biotech, food, chemicals, water/wastewater, and energy industries with services ranging from functional design and GMP-compliant validation to commissioning and lifecycle support of production systems.

ETU Automation & Robotik GmbH is a Baden-Württemberg system integrator and special machine builder with over 35 years of experience in industrial automation. As a Certified System Integrator (CSI) of Universal Robots since 2022, ETU delivers flexible cobot solutions alongside KUKA robot integration, control cabinet construction, EMSR engineering, and digital twin-based virtual commissioning. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and holds UL certification for panel shop work (NITW.E526404), covering applications from automotive and pharma to mechanical engineering. Services span the full project lifecycle from requirements engineering through to on-site commissioning, training, and long-term support.

exida.com GmbH is a functional safety specialist focused on the full safety lifecycle for industrial automation and process plants. They support clients from hazard and risk analysis through SIL determination, Safety Requirements Specification (SRS), safety architecture review, and independent verification and validation. exida is commonly engaged for IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 lifecycle work on Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), as well as machinery safety projects aligned with ISO 13849 and IEC 62061, where defensible documentation and audit-ready evidence are required.