500 guests at SensoPart Innovation Day

SensoPart, Gottenheim, 27 June 2019 – Despite the stifling heat, the celebrations marking the sensor manufacturer’s 25th anniversary, with an in-house trade fair and conference programme, proved a roaring success. Invited guests from Germany, as well as interested visitors from Freiburg and the surrounding region, took the opportunity to learn more about modern industrial sensor technology and robotics, and exciting future developments.

Artificial intelligence, self-learning robots and bio-integrated systems – over the next quarter of a century, industrial automation will continue to develop at just as fast a pace as during the 25 years since SensoPart’s founding in 1994. Prof. Dr Bernd Jähne from the Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR) of Heidelberg University and Prof. Dr Thomas Bauernhansl from the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology and Automation (IPA) in Stuttgart both gave presentations on their vision of future advances, which were then the topic of a panel discussion moderated by Dr Peter Ebert, editor-in-chief of the trade journal “InVision”. The in-house fair and presentations were open to the general public, in addition to SensoPart’s customers, partners and suppliers.

SensoPart founder and Managing Director Dr Theodor Wanner is already looking forward to the new opportunities that ever faster processors, improved image chips and more powerful LED lighting will offer – true to SensoPart’s motto: “We gauge ourselves not by what is possible today, but by our vision of what can be achieved”. In his speech on technical advances in industrial automation, he looked back at an exceptional example from the past 25 years: “A laser unit used to be about the size of a wardrobe; today miniaturised laser diodes fit inside even our smallest sensors, which are no bigger than a sugar cube.” He views robotics as a sector of increasing importance for SensoPart: “Robots need sensors to navigate their surroundings – our image-processing vision sensors are in other words their eyes.” How this works in practice was demonstrated to guests through diverse robotics displays at the parallel in-house fair. Visitors flocked to the automatic sensor-controlled bar developed by students at Offenburg University, which served cocktails and beer.

A turnover multiplied by 10 in 25 years

SensoPart Innovation Day marked the sensor manufacturer’s silver jubilee. Since its inception in Wieden near Todtnau in 1994, SensoPart Industriesensorik GmbH has established itself internationally as an innovative supplier of opto-electronic sensors and image-processing vision sensors for industrial automation. Today its customer base ranges from automotive and machine construction, electronics and solar industries to pharmaceutical companies and the food sector. “In the 25 years of our existence, we have boosted our annual turnover from three to 30 million euros”, observed Theodor Wanner. “I think we can be proud of this.” Wanner expressed his sincere thanks to his entire workforce: “This success would not have been possible without our employees.” Today SensoPart has more than 6000 customers worldwide, some of whom have been loyal to the company from the very beginning.

Many suppliers also stood by SensoPart during the difficult early days and are still part of the SensoPart network today. It is hard to imagine a greater display of trust. As a result of steady growth, SensoPart is no longer such a small company, and successfully competes with big names, having achieved market recognition.

Innovation Day was held at the SensoPart site in Gottenheim’s Nägelsee industrial park. The company moved there in 2001 and has already extended its premises multiple times. An auditorium and stage were set up in the ultra-modern production and logistics hall, which was inaugurated just eighteen months earlier. In addition to the conference rooms, several offices were also transformed into workshops and training areas in order to accommodate the large number of visitors and participants. These were used to bring customers, retail partners and sales employees up to date on industrial automation technology throughout the course of the week.

The culminating event was a festive celebration in the Denzlingen Cultural and Community Centre for selected guests only. On an artistic front, the evening included an extract from the Pyanook project by jazz pianist Ralf Schmid. He created a fascinating mix of acoustics and visuals, giving added visible expression to his composition by wearing sensor gloves. The evening’s music was also accompanied by a dancer, who influenced the sounds with the aid of SensoPart sensors. An extraordinary light show by StudioRayy was another special highlight. Several guests of honour, including CEO of WVIB Dr Münzer, and former Mayor of Freiburg and current CEO of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) praised the achievements of SensoPart and its founder Dr Theodor Wanner. The latter then seized the opportunity to announce the future at SensoPart for the next 25 years: His son Thorsten Wanner, who studied electrical engineering like his 65-year old father, will be taking over the operational management of the sensor company. Dr. Theodor Wanner will focus on Finance/HR and assist his son, particularly in strategic matters.

About SensoPart Industriesensorik GmbH

SensoPart develops, produces and sells a wide range of innovative sensors for factory automation. The main focus is on optoelectronic sensors and camera-based vision sensors, which are used in industrial applications - e.g. for object or color detection, distance measurement, code reading or in robotics. The company’s products are developed and manufactured in Germany, at the plants in Gottenheim, near Freiburg-im-Breisgau, and Wieden in the southern part of the Black Forest. With four subsidiaries and a network of 40 international sales partners, SensoPart is present worldwide.

Founded in 1994, the family-run company is synonymous with flexibility and stands for innovative and high-performance products. SensoPart has received numerous distinctions for its work, for example 1st place in the Automation Award and is multi-time winner of the German Sensor Application Prize. 

For further information about SensoPart, visit www.sensopart.com.