Digital Places in Dortmund
WiloPark: Industry 4.0 in Practice
Dortmund. The CEO and Chairman of the Wilo Group, Oliver Hermes, along with the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Georg Weber, welcomed around 30 national journalists and high-profile guests during a press tour organized by the Association of the Internet Industry (eco) at the Wilo Smart Factory.
As part of the program of the German government's Digital Summit, the tour participants experienced the production of the future according to Industry 4.0 standards and gained insight into the largest investment project in the company's history. This industrial flagship project brings about changes in work processes that not only focus on efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness but also on sustainability and job attractiveness. Through a future-oriented operating concept and digitally networked building technology, energy consumption is reduced by 40 percent, while the CO2 emissions are reduced by 3,500 tons per year. This is equivalent to the amount that would be compensated by 280,000 trees. "We aim for the WiloPark to be climate neutral in the near future. Sustainability is not just a lip service for us, but a conviction and central to our long-term goals," emphasizes Oliver Hermes. Chief Technology Officer Georg Weber adds, "Our goal is end-to-end networking from supplier to customer. This includes customization and sustainable delivery for customers. All process steps are interconnected and transparent in the final stage, and individual process components and machines are Industry 4.0 capable."
A special feature is the collaboration between the Wilo Group and the French electronics company Schneider Electric. Both companies consider sustainability as a central topic, which is why the two partners have had an extensive cooperation, especially in the field of digitalization, for about four years. In this context, Christophe de Maistre, Zone President DACH, explained how digital networking works in the areas of technical facility management, data security, Industry 4.0, mobility management, and infrastructure services. All of this enables greater sustainability through the use of the internet and cloud services.
In the evening, about 1,500 guests gather at the Warsteiner Music Hall for a reception on the occasion of the Digital Summit. Words of greeting will be delivered, among others, by the Prime Minister of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Armin Laschet. The guests also have the opportunity to virtually explore the WiloPark through a Virtual Reality experience in the Wilo Lounge, supported by the Wilo Group at the industry event.
