"Not an all-inclusive package tour, but an expedition."

Under this maxim and by means of exciting presentations and an active supporting programme, the participants of the first CONEXO day discovered ways to incorporate digitalisation into the processing industry and move forward into "Industry 4.0". 

There's nothing quite like holding a conference entirely outdoors in the sunny autumn weather. At the CONEXO Day 2018, GEMÜ customers and sales prospects spent the day getting to grips with the topic of digitalisation – away from the gloomy atmosphere of the conference room. The open-air event took place at three different locations in and around the Waldenburg industrial site in Baden-Württemberg. Experts reported on successful strategies and provided tips for taking the significant step into the world of "Industry 4.0". 

Valuable insights were provided by Prof. Horst Wildemann, Head of the Research Institute for Business Management, Logistics and Production at the Technical University of Munich. In his keynote speech, he appealed to participants to take a more active approach – not to copy, but rather to lead the charge. This was his guiding principle when it came to the subject of getting up to speed with the advancements that have been made by the giants in Silicon Valley. "If we compare the industry with a football game, in which Germany is still behind at the end of the first half, then the strategy for the second half must be all about tackling Industry 4.0 in a different fashion – rather than just copying," asserted Wildemannn.

Presentations with a very practical focus followed from André West, Head of Configuration Engineering at GEA Westfalia Separator Group GmbH and Sebastian Rautenberg, Process Manager for Production & Logistics at GEMÜ. The participants received insights into how processes in manufacturing and order processing can be made more efficient with the aid of CONEXO and the RFID technology. 

Alongside the specialist talks, the programme of events that accompanied the day was a highlight in itself. "We deliberately decided on an outdoor event for the format of the CONEXO Day that would be reminiscent of an exciting expedition, through the act of hopping about from location to location," explains Marcus Ripsam, Head of inevvo solutions. "The implementation of Industry 4.0 is no easy task for businesses, and the lack of an all-inclusive, one-size-fits-all solution is making many companies uneasy. The aim of the CONEXO Day was to show that the route towards digitalisation can in fact be quite exciting and is also very feasible with an experienced partner by your site."

The fact that GEMÜ places great value on digitalisation is also embodied by the spin-off company it has created for this purpose, inevvo solutions. In future, the newly founded subsidiary will act as the driving force behind the further development of the CONEXO system.