Tell us about B&R Automation in terms of manufacturing facilities, capacity, products manufactured, end-user industries served, exports, etc.
We at B&R strongly believe in developing the best and most innovative solutions in industrial automation. Also, developing the best relationships and maintaining them with our customers and partners; as well as our employees and suppliers. We believe in our motto “Perfection in Automation”. Our customers rely on our exceptional partnership and innovative solutions, and we take great pride in the trust we have earned. B&R is a member of the ABB group and as a global centre for machine and factory automation strengthens our position of leadership and adds new momentum to our impressive record of sustained growth. We have our global footprint spread across different countries where we provide full support and expertise ranging from hardware to project conception to implementation of the application, including well-established training programs and all of this on-site at your location. Innovations are always the pinnacle of B&R ranging from Industrial IoT, safety technology, vision systems, track technology, open-source technology, etc. We engage our customers in various training because sustainability and self-motivation come from sharing knowledge and education. From the first prototype to series production, all products are developed and manufactured at our headquarters in Eggelsberg, Austria. Implementing advanced production methods and fully automatic test procedures that comprise the latest technology to ensure our high-quality standards.

What are the latest trends in the industry and how is your company focusing on?
The market is flooded with new technologies and trends. Adaptation at the right wavelength requires proper knowledge and being an automation company, we too are focused a lot on developing new products and technologies. Our motion control and mechatronic systems have introduced new dimensions in manufacturing like one of our innovative mechatronic systems which makes it possible to manufacture small batches and individualised products economically.

ACOPOStrak, SuperTrak and ACOPOS 6D transport workpieces through a machine individually and without being bound to rigid timing. The result is unprecedented machine performance. We focus a lot on trends and our R&D team is continuously experimenting and innovating new products to be launched in the market.

What is the impact of declining auto sales & shift towards electric vehicles on the machine tools industry? How can industry mitigate this impact?
Sustainability is the need of industries, and they are heavily focused on it as per their capacity. People have realised that the market is constantly upgrading with different implementations of technology. At present electric vehicles is the new buzz in the market and for good reasons look at the current scenario of renewable energy conservation. Every innovation and technology comes with its own sets of drawbacks which we learn and see down the future. Declining auto sales has many reasons, but this will very soon be foreseen. The auto industry is highly equipped and always looks for new solutions and better mobility for the future. Their research team is constantly exploring the market and changing its product basket as per demand. Digital adaptation is also an added necessity in today’s manufacturing industry as industries are booming with solutions and innovations in shifting their focus towards the greener and sustainable side. All these shifts in focus are mainly leading towards maintaining an eco-balance and decreasing the constant shift in prices for renewable energy.

How is your organisation adopting digitalisation and Industry 4.0?
B&R is an innovative automation company. We are constantly looking into market demands and understanding the situation. Industry 4.0 and 5.0 has given us different dimensions to explore the digital world, to play with data, connecting the data to the cloud and accessing and preserving them for better usage. We as a product manufacturer and solution provider put all of our knowledge and creativity into developing products that become trendsetting innovations. At B&R, this means offering our customers a complete automation solution that provides maximum flexibility and economic efficiency. From customised products to large-scale series production, meeting our customer’s needs is our main focus. The adoption of digitalisation is seen in our portfolio of innovative products and solutions to the market.

What kind of new opportunities are you looking to tap? What are your growth plans for your company in the coming years?
The market is flooded with opportunities; it takes keen understanding and deep research. Every business partner is implementing new innovations, adapting digitalisation, preserving data accurately, and using them for a better future. Things are just going exponentially high with every market segment. Penetration into new areas and preserving the old position in the market takes a lot of experience and knowledge. Growth plan is always ‘consistent’, to maintain the market position is itself a bigger challenge and enriching one's knowledge with innovation and implementation is always the key to higher productivity and market growth for any business.

Give us your idea about the outlook of the industry.
Machine manufacturers in recent times are transforming their processes by implementing technology solutions. Adaptation to digitalisation has helped them to secure market position and maintaining them has given them the strength to excel more. Proper knowledge of the market and being tech-savvy help the people in this industry to achieve more. Market fluctuations will always be there and are not in anyone’s hands, but utilisation of proper resources and understanding market requirements for a better future takes your time and research in order to root one’s position in the market. The industry definitely has a lot of reasons to grow; the main reason is high demand for adaptation to digitalisation and technology.