HARTING with future-oriented solutions for “integrated industry”

The HARTING Technology Group made a strong start to the first half-year 2013/2014 (October 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014). Group revenues as well as order intake were up significantly. The headcount at HARTING also continued to grow worldwide. Revenues climbed by 21.1 % to €271 million in the first half year compared to the same period in the previous year. A 13.6 % rise in order intake to €276 million was registered over the same period. Philip Harting, Senior Vice President Connectivity & Networks and Partner, underlined the positive developments during the HARTING press conference at the Hannover Messe trade fair: “We are experiencing a significant upturn in almost all HARTING business areas. Together with our employees we are very pleased about these results.” Philip Harting is generally optimistic about the forthcoming months: “We firmly anticipate that our technology group will achieve global growth.” The company will continue to focus in future on the three proven levels of the HARTING house of integrated industry: innovative components, application solutions and services; and system solutions and consulting. HARTING Electric and HARTING Electronics – drivers of growth The HARTING Electric and HARTING Electronics divisions have proven themselves as the key drivers of growth. HARTING Electronics has benefitted from major projects in Asia. This positive overall trend is also reflected in the headcount. The HARTING Technology Group employed 3,920 staff worldwide at the end of March – an addition of 105 employees over the end of the 2012/2013 financial year (September 30). Harting is confident that this positive headcount trend will continue over the medium term and will soon break through the 4,000-employee barrier worldwide. “We develop high-quality and innovative products at every level of the HARTING house. We also supply our customers with tailored and tried-and-tested solutions for integrated industry. That represents a sustainable and future-oriented business model”, as Philip Harting added. Integrated industry is a key element of the HARTING growth strategy. This year’s Hannover Messe trade fair (“Integrated Industry – NEXT STEPS”) focused on this theme and it is also the lead slogan (“smart solutions for integrated industry”) in the HARTING Technology Group’s trade fair appearance. In integrated industry, products provide knowledge by way of their processing. Industrial production processes are integrated into company-wide business applications, such as the ERP system. This enables companies to adopt an eco-friendly and resource-saving approach and to organize production more efficiently, flexibly and quickly - fully in line with their requirements and conditions. Actual implementation at the HARTING Smart Factory Claus Hilger, Managing Director of HARTING IT System Integration, clearly outlined at the press conference how the key technological elements of integrated industry can be implemented in practice using the HARTING demonstrators as an example. “Our smart factory illustrates how systems at operational level can be vertically integrated with the systems at corporate planning level. Objects are identified and the status of production systems determined by means of RFID and sensor technologies”, explained Hilger. The waterworks demonstrator, developed jointly in collaboration with the software company SAP, highlights how system availability can be improved through the use of sensor technology, a database in the cloud and mobile devices. The technology group is cooperating closely with science in the field of integrated industry. HARTING is developing solutions to enhance the flexibility of manufacturing processes through the FlexiMon research project that is part of the “it’s OWL” competence cluster. As Dr. Volker Franke, Managing Director of HARTING Applied Technologies explained, HARTING’s approach of using a standardized work plan based on BPMN 2 (Business Process Model and Notation) directly for the controlling of a machine’s operating processes is innovative and unique to date. HARTING developed this solution in tandem with the CorLab at the University of Bielefeld. The system can be seen in live action on the HARTING exhibition stand. Visitors can discover how the modification of a work plan at ERP-system level can result in a change in system performance without the explicit need for programming. “We are creating the platform for a genuine plug-and-produce solution”, remarked Dr. Franke. M12 Press and Go – an alternative to overmolded cables Fielding the new “M12 Press and Go” cable assembly, HARTING is offering an alternative to overmolded cables. Instead of a long wait for an overmolded solution to ensure the process reliability of the new cable specification, HARTING is providing customers with a solution for pre-assembled system cable within a few days and for up to 10 GB. In order to expand networks’ field of deployment, a more robust design of the M12 is now available. “Our new stainless steel M12 passes severity level 4 of the salt and spray test with pre-assembly on-site. Thanks to its V4A-quality stainless steel, which HARTING processes using a sophisticated manufacturing procedure, the stainless steel M12 is our solution for customers’ extreme on-site conditions”, said Ralf Klein, Managing Director of HARTING Electronics. With the new preLink M12, HARTING is systematically extending the range of preLink technology, well known in the field of data network infrastructure, with components for factory automation. In this way, HARTING is offering its customers maximum flexibility for equipment and machine updates that require higher data transmission volumes. “From 100 MB to 10 GB in just a few steps, almost as fast as a tire change in Formula 1”, as Ralf Klein underlined. World premiere for the new Ha-VIS eCon switches HARTING is displaying a wide range of solutions, technologies, innovations and further developments at the Hannover Messe trade fair. The new Ha-VIS eCon switches celebrated their world premiere at the Hannover Messe trade fair. “High levels of efficiency and performance, easy and fast to put into operation - the new Ha-VIS eCon switches meet these requirements”, said Dimitrios Charisiadis, Director ICPN HARTING Electric. Optimized and developed for deployment in harsh industrial environments, the unmanaged Ha-VIS eCon Ethernet switches enable flexible extension of existing network infrastructure as well as the set-up of new industrial networks. These highly efficient plug-and-play switches excel due to the fact that they can be put into operation easily and quickly. Two different compact and space-saving housing designs ensure the best possible utilization of the space available in the switch cabinet. High-performance Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+), Full Gigabit Ethernet and the industrial temperature range from -40 °C to +70° extend the comprehensive portfolio with additional functions. Thanks to approval for industry, the maritime market and transport engineering, the switches can be optimally used for any application. HARTING Han® connectors now available as smart objects The Han® connector, which is now also available with RFID transponders, is also celebrating a world premiere. This dynamic duo enables easy identification of specific data from the connector solution to convenient, fast and reliable ordering of replacement parts. The Han® connectors can link information and data from real components with the virtual world. HARTING provides the entire solution, including the app for the smartphone. “In this way, the connector is transformed into a smart object, ensuring that we offer customers genuine added value”, said Andre Beneke, Director Product & Industry Segment Management HARTING Electric. Beneke believes the HARTING Electric division is optimally positioned to meet the future requirements of integrated industry. The Han-Modular® covers all technical requirements as a standard interface - whether for power, signals, data or compressed air. The Han-Modular® is the electromechanical backbone of of the smart factory that is build up by automation modules. “This is also the reason why the smart Factory KL opted for Han-Modular® as a standard interface.” Andre Beneke emphasized that the HARTING Technology Group will continue to drive the transformation in integrated industry forward.