A connected future

Image caption: Dr-Ing. Stephan Mayer, Chief Executive Officer Machine Tools, TRUMPF

Dr-Ing. Stephan Mayer, Chief Executive Officer Machine Tools, TRUMPF, shared his view of the global business climate, industry trends, new technology launches and areas of growth and opportunity with ISMR. 

TRUMPF is a high-tech sheet metal specialist offering manufacturing solutions in machine tools and laser technology. It drives digital connectivity in manufacturing through consultancy, platform products and software. It is one of the technology and market leaders in highly versatile machine tools for sheet metal processing and industrial lasers.

In 2023/2024, the TRUMPF Group employed some 18,550 people and generated sales of about 5.2 billion euros, with an order intake of 4.6 billion euros. With over 80 companies, the TRUMPF Group is represented in nearly every European country as well as in North America, South America and Asia. The company has production facilities in Germany; France; the United Kingdom; Italy; Austria; Switzerland; Poland; the Czech Republic; the United States; Mexico and China.

ISMR: Please highlight any notable successes and achievements for TRUMPF over the past two years.

SM: In the last two years, we have systematically worked to expand our role as a leading solutions provider for sheet metal production: major progress has been made in service, automation, machine capabilities and the application of artificial intelligence in different areas.

At the EuroBLECH exhibition in Hanover (22-25 October 2024), we will show some of the results from these latest developments as well as the advantages for our customers.

One highlight will be a completely new and innovative solution for sorting parts after 2D laser cutting. This automation solution is not only very flexible for any part geometries (including thick parts, which has been a great challenge in the past) but is also very easy to control and can even be retrofitted in the future. The heart of the system is a six-axis robot that uses artificial intelligence to eliminate any programming. In other words, we have ‘given life’ to the robot.

We have also reached another level on service. Based on connected machines, we can solve 75 per cent of all service cases remotely and our 2,800 technicians take care of the rest on-site very quickly. To support this, we have substantially improved our spare parts supply, which was a challenge two years ago in the throes of the supply chain crisis. We have also put a lot of effort into machine safety to protect machine operators.

ISMR: What are your views on the current global business climate for sheet metal professionals? What are your predictions for the business climate in 2025?

SM: Our world is changing rapidly due to technological transformation, global competition and social upheaval. Whether it is a shortage of skilled workers or competitive pressures, many of our customers are currently facing major challenges and I expect this to continue into next year. We support them on their way to greater competitiveness. Our solutions make their production more efficient and help to combat the shortage of skilled workers.

We also support our customers with financing through our in-house bank. In some countries, utilisation has declined due to the reasons I just mentioned but, from our experience, it is perfect timing to invest in technology upgrades to be prepared for the next upswing.

ISMR: What is your strategic and technical focus for TRUMPF machine tools? Please elaborate.

To read the rest of this interview in the October 2024 issue of ISMR, see https://joom.ag/LHud/p32