Industry 4.0., the Internet of Things, smart factories, cloud computing: Digital buzzwords are making the rounds in the industrial sector – everything will be faster, more agile and more efficient. It is not always easy for control cabinet manufacturers to follow this development, however.
WAGO is an experienced partner for control cabinet manufacturers – a partner that sees digitization not as an and in itself, but rather as a useful complement to existing processes. The goal: Improved product quality, satisfied customers and higher sales/revenue figures, which have a positive effect on companies’ operating numbers. But control cabinet manufacturers continue to find it difficult to follow this digital trend: A large number of current orders conceals the fact that systems that, as systems become more and more networked and integrated, this continues to increase the pressure to implement digital processes. Instead of exploiting the practical opportunities offered, companies are beset by reservations and fear that hinder their digital development.
No Need to Fear Digitization!
Many medium-sized companies view digitization as an insurmountable hurdle – too expensive, too complex and unnecessary. “Many myths have arisen about this in recent years,” says Nicole Kreie, director of the International Project Service division of WAGO GmbH & Co. KG. For years now, the digital transformation has not only helped shape the development of products at WAGO, but has also driven in-house processes, whose complexity has not always made them easy to penetrate.
But there should be no reason to be frightened off by abstract digital concepts. “We support medium-sized companies that manufacture control cabinets in developing a digital strategy and offer them simple solutions for taking the first steps,” explains Kreie. You don’t have to switch everything to “new” all at once to align your company to the future: “It’s much more about taking small steps and looking at the details of your processes so you can identify points at which processes can be further streamlined.”