The US chemical company Dow has announced far-reaching steps to optimize its European production portfolio. The focus is on three upstream plants in Germany and the UK, which are scheduled to be shut down by the end of 2027 at the latest. The decision was made against the backdrop of ongoing structural challenges, particularly with regard to energy prices, demand trends, and trade risks within...
Zebra Technologies has teamed up with Clearview Imaging to open the Industrial Automation Center of Excellence. The new center of excellence is located in Oxfordshire, UK, and is aimed at companies in the manufacturing and logistics industries, as well as industrial image processing professionals throughout the EMEA region.
Siemens has completed the acquisition of Dotmatics, a US provider of R&D software for the life sciences industry. The company is valued at $5.1 billion. With its integration into Siemens Digital Industries Software, the company is expanding its product lifecycle management (PLM) portfolio to include research and development as well as production.
With around 47,500 visitors from over 90 countries and around 800 exhibitors from 40 nations, Automatica 2025 achieved new record figures. Over 1,100 robots were presented in six exhibition halls, ranging from large robots to cobots, AGVs, and humanoids. The focus was on forward-looking topics such as AI-supported robotics, automation for small and medium-sized businesses, health tech solutions...
Marvin Strüfing will take over responsibility as Global Business Director for the Standard Polymers business unit at the Biesterfeld Group on July 1. Strüfing has more than a decade of experience in highly dynamic and volatile market segments in well-known global companies. He graduated from Nordakademie University of Applied Science with a degree in Business Science & Management and has held...
Symrise has extensively modernized its plant in southern Ecuador. The Pasaje site produces dried products from bananas and other tropical fruits. The investments include new production facilities, earthquake-proof infrastructure, and modernized work areas. The aim is to expand production capacities and further strengthen the company's innovative power. The new plant is located in the middle of one...
BASF has successfully started up its new world-scale plant for hexamethylenediamine (HMD) in Chalampé, France. The facility, which has been under construction since 2022, increases the company's annual HMD production capacity to 260,000 metric tons and marks a key step in expanding its polyamide 6.6 business in Europe. The investment reflects BASF’s strategic focus on strengthening its European...
Another milestone on the road to a more sustainable chemical industry has been reached at the Höchst Industrial Park. Infraserv Höchst has started up a carbon capture pilot plant at the site's sewage sludge incineration facility. The plant was supplied by Gea, a global provider of process technologies, and will spend three months gathering important operational data on CO2 separation from flue...
Preparations for Drinktec 2025, taking place in Munich from September 15 to 19, are in full swing. According to the organizers, Yontex, the alliance between Drinktec and Brau Beviale, more than 1,000 exhibitors from over 50 countries will showcase their solutions across 73,000 square meters. The focus will be on the entire process chain in beverage and liquid food production and on the industry’s...
Mitsubishi Electric has entered into a strategic partnership with European gear manufacturer Tramec to improve the performance of gearboxes. The aim of the collaboration is to jointly develop complete gear motor drive systems based on the highly efficient EM-A series synchronous motors. The agreement, signed in May 2025, covers both technical development and the supply of high-performance gear...
