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80 percent of Swiss manufacturing companies feel confident that Industry 4.0 will bring them major economic success. They envisage even greater opportunities for themselves through the transformation to smart factories than their competitors in Germany. The companies strongly believe that lean processes also form the basis for the transition to the world of the intelligent factory. This is demonstrated by the findings of a cross-border study conducted by the Staufen AG business consultancy. A total of 329 industrial companies were interviewed in the summer of 2015 for the Industry 4.0 index.

Laser and machine tool producer Trumpf is the overall winner of the GERMAN INDUSTRY 2015 innovation prize. The winner in the Product category is the family-owned industrial enterprise Rittal. Schmalz, a medium-sized enterprise specialising in vacuum technology, receives the award for the Best Innovation System. With the first award of the GERMAN INDUSTRY innovation prize, the Staufen AG consultancy recognises outstanding, application-oriented innovations by medium-sized enterprises.

German top managers have nominated Staufen AG the country’s best Lean Management Consultancy. For the renowned “Hidden Champions” industry study, consultancy expert Prof. Dr. Dietmar Fink interviewed more than 450 top managers of major German companies. According to the study, Staufen AG also ranks amongst the top five consultancies in the areas of technology and innovation management, operative efficiency, Shop Floor Management and Industry 4.0.

German industrial managers are clear about one thing: in 2020, China will be the most innovative country in the world. With regard to Industry 4.0, the Asian tiger is also catching up. Even now, it has already forged ahead of the first European countries. These are the central results of current studies carried out by the Staufen AG business consultancy.

Deadlines are missed, costs are too high, quality is compromised: almost four in ten development projects in mechanical engineering in Germany miss their targets. This is the result of a study by the Staufen AG consultancy together with the German Engineering Association (VDMA). 138 companies in this industry took part in the survey.

Swiss industry is well on its way towards a networked economy. Almost two in three companies are already involved with the Smart Factory concept – often at the observation or analysis stage, but also in individual projects. These are the findings of a cross-border study by the Staufen AG business consultancy. For the Industry 4.0 index, a total of 329 industrial companies in Switzerland, Germany and China were interviewed in the summer of 2015. 50 participants hailed from Switzerland.

The stiff competition witnessed between the airlines in the skies has long since spread to plane makers and their suppliers. The aviation industry in Germany finds itself under immense pricing pressure: 86 percent of firms describe it as their main challenge. Then there is the compulsion on companies to front up the development costs for aircraft construction. Those are the results presented by the Aviation Study 2015. In collaboration with the German Aerospace Industries Association (“BDLI”), the management consultancy firm Staufen surveyed more than 100 German aviation industry companies.

Almost two thirds of German industrial companies describe themselves as innovation pioneers. However, hardly any companies as yet devote any time to so-called disruptive innovations that permit entirely new business models. Traditional product innovations still hold the top of the agenda in development departments. This is evident in the 2015 innovation study conducted by the Staufen consultancy. More than 150 German industrial enterprises were surveyed about this.

Not even one in three German industrial companies takes the professional qualification of its sales staff really seriously. Even with regard to product and customer insights, sales staff only receive professional training in four of ten companies. Whereas employees complain about the need for action, sales managers tend to play this down and very often shirk their responsibilities. These are the results of a study of the Staufen AG consultancy from a survey of 110 German industrial companies.