Bosch has recently announced the creation of a new business unit focusing on Industry 4.0 solutions
Bosch announced the opening of an internet of things (IoT) hub in Germany’s capital Berlin, where the firm aims to bring together its global efforts in the IoT field. “With our new premises, we are building bridges between our own IoT experts and others in Berlin’s creative and digital scenes,” Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner, said.
More than 250 Bosch associates are working at the new IoT campus in Berlin. Over the next few years, the number of associates is expected to rise to around 400.
Bosch said that the IoT experts will advise and support customers during the development and implementation of projects for connected solutions, such as solutions for Industry 4.0, connected mobility, smart cities, and smart homes.
The new location is also the headquarters of Bosch Software Innovations. This Bosch subsidiary has been playing an active role in the development of IoT technology and solutions over the last ten years, the firm said. IoT consultants, software developers, project managers, trainers, and other specialists have now realized more than 250 international IoT projects.
Bosch has invested some 3 million euros ($3.7 million) in the new IoT center in Berlin. The new facility also offers workshops which help associates to build prototypes quickly and easily. “We want to understand customer needs in creative and structured processes, generate a lot of ideas quickly, and test them directly with future users,” said Michael Hahn, a member of the executive management of Bosch Software Innovations.
Last month, Bosch announced the establishment of Bosch Connected Industry, a new business unit focusing on Industry 4.0 solutions. The new unit began operations with 500 associates in Germany, Hungary, and China. Bosch said it is pooling all its Industry 4.0 activities in this new unit, including the fields of software and services. “We want to make the most of the potential inherent in connected industry, which means we need to assemble the best possible team,” said Bosch board of management member Stefan Hartung. By 2020, the Bosch Group aims to generate more than a billion euros with Industry 4.0.
The new smart manufacturing unit has the main aim of supporting customers in connecting the value chain from end-to-end. The portfolio of software allows companies an entry point into the connected factory that is tailored to their needs, Bosch said.
The German firm also said that individual lines can be combined, and factories and plant networks, including their internal and external logistics, interconnected. New offerings include a variety of apps and software solutions that support workers in their daily tasks. Additionally, relevant manufacturing data are more quickly accessible using mobile devices, which ultimately leads to greater machine availability in production, Bosch said.
Internal transport processes and flows of goods outside the company can be monitored and traced back. Workers are kept permanently informed of the location, condition, and delivery time of goods, the company said.
