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In 2024, industrial electricity consumption in Germany stood at around 217 TWh/year. Electric and electrohydraulic drives account for 46% of grid power. Around 70% of this consumption is due to motor-driven systems, such as pumps, fans and compressors, which are among the most energy-intensive applications. Meanwhile, rising energy costs and regulatory requirements, such as the Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG), are increasing the demand for energy-efficient retrofit solutions. Modern variable-frequency drives, when used with highly efficient motors, can deliver significant energy savings, especially during partial-load operation. The ZVEI estimates that energy-efficient drive technology could deliver EU-wide savings of 121.5 TWh/year

A long-standing automation partnership between a Swiss machine builder and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of industrial robots is aiming to help transform the pharmaceutical supply chain in Europe with the launch of what is believed to be the ‘smallest’ automated palletising cell for vials and pre-filled syringes.

The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) requires manufacturers, importers and distributors to implement cybersecurity measures throughout the entire lifecycle of products containing digital elements. In the context of industrial automation, this means products must be developed securely from the outset ('secure by design'), delivered with preset security features ('secure by default'), and any known vulnerabilities must be actively addressed. Furthermore, free security updates must be available throughout the entire lifecycle.

With the support of Mitsubishi Electric and the engineering firm ATINA, German machine manufacturer BHB Waschanlagen Vertriebs GmbH has built a new tram washing system, designed to help save
resources for Zurich’s public transport operator, Zürcher Verkehrsverbund.

Mitsubishi Electric has appointed Tomohiro Yoshida as the new President of its Factory Automation EMEA business unit.