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Automation industry: "The next few years will be characterized by transformation"
KUKA's origins lie in hardware development driven by industrial robotics. At the same time, KUKA is taking important steps towards digitalization as an internationally active group of companies. Software is playing an increasingly important role in mechanical engineering.
Ulrike Götz
5 March 2025
Technology
Reading Time: 4 min.
What was high technology years ago is now standardized. What else is needed? The end-to-end digitalization of production processes is still a challenge. Isolated solutions from a wide range of software products and data standards characterize the digital landscape in mechanical engineering. This is why the KUKA Group is focusing on the digital and software business. After all, digitalization paves the way for further automation.
In a brief interview, Quirin Goerz, CEO of KUKA's digital segment, reveals how KUKA intends to drive forward industrial digitalization, which trends will shape the year 2025 and why it is important to focus:
Quirin Goerz, CEO KUKA Digital: "Rightnow, smart solutions are needed on the factory floor, from 3D simulation tonetworking and data analysis to the use of artificial intelligence
With a view to industrial digitalization: What trends will shape 2025?
Quirin Görz: "In the automation industry, the next few years will be characterized by transformation. This primarily includes the data economy, everything to do with simulation and virtual commissioning and, of course, artificial intelligence. For me, however, the digital twin is at the top of the list as a trend for 2025. The digital twin is the basis for the successful and seamless digitalization of factories worldwide. It enables all available data to be collected and visualized simply and intuitively. Thinking ahead, the industrial Mateverse is the next major stage of development. It will become a place for collaboration, sharing experiences and interaction between the digital twin and the real world - from individual machines and products to entire factories, buildings, cities, networks and transportation systems. As with the mobile internet, we will not be able to look back and say when it really began. But the Industrial Metaverse will change the way we do business and shape our daily lives."
The global industry is facing challenges: How can a company prepare for them?
Quirin Görz: "Efficiency and resilience will be more important than ever for our economy in 2025. Software and digitalization open up enormous opportunities here and play a decisive role in the competitiveness of our industry. We will hit the ground running in 2025 with our newly established digital division and drive seamless digitalization forward, as smart solutions are needed on the shop floor right now, from 3D simulation to networking and data analysis through to the use of artificial intelligence. Every company must continue to develop, examine new business models and take the right strategic path. It is more important than ever to understand what our customers around the world need from us. Focusing will be essential for success."
What does this mean for KUKA's digital division?
Quirin Görz: "We can look back on more than 125 years of company history, 50 of which have been in the field of robotics. With the new division, we are building on this knowledge. We are moving beyond traditional automation solutions to become a digitalization partner for the manufacturing industry. To this end, we are using the experience we have gained in robotics and automation over decades and pursuing the goal of helping our customers to achieve greater productivity, resilience and sustainability."
KUKA ships its robots to customers all over the world. They have to be packed so that they arrive safely at the production halls. How can this be made more environmentally friendly?
