Renate Pilz: "Safe automation is a success factor for the industry of the future" – Chancellor Merkel visits Pilz at the Hannover Messe

Pilz: As part of her opening tour of the Hannover Messe 2015, Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel visited the stand of the automation company Pilz. She was accompanied by Narendra Damodardas Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, this year's partner country of the exhibition. Renate Pilz, Chair of the Board, welcomed the guests and introduced the family business and its global commitment to the safe automation of plant and machinery.

"As ambassadors for safety, we are committed to ensuring that people all over the world are able to work in safety", said Renate Pilz. In emerging industrial nations in particular, Pilz is keen to work with companies, research institutions and public bodies to create a culture in which the declared objective is to protect man, machine and the environment.

Shaping the future of industry

Renate Pilz also explained the important role that safe automation technology plays in Industry 4.0, the exhibition’s keynote theme. "Production of the future will be networked. When humans, machines and materials communicate with one another, it places particular demands on safety. And that applies to occupational safety as well as data protection", Renate Pilz explains. The Chancellor was delighted with the success of the medium-sized business: "Mushrooms are known for their rapid growth", said Angela Merkel with a wink, playing on the company name Pilz (German for mushroom).

The Senior Director of this family business believes safety is critical for success. She emphasised the joint commitment of government, associations, Pilz and other industrial companies in the Research Alliance. This is where Industry 4.0 was launched as an initiative. "Our company is grateful to have had the opportunity to shape the issue of Industry 4.0 from the start", says Pilz.

Industry needs intelligent safety

At the Hannover Messe, Pilz presented technologies for the "Industry of the future", including control systems, sensors and drives. Using the Industry 4.0-compatible automation system PSS 4000, Pilz demonstrated in Hannover how control and visualisation of networked, decentralised plant and machinery can be user-friendly. "We have answers to these questions already", Renate Pilz was able to tell guests.

India, a future market

The Chancellor showed particular interest in Pilz's commitment to the exhibition's partner country, India. "We are delighted that India is the exhibition's partner country this year," says Renate Pilz. As an export-oriented company, the country is a very important market for Pilz. The Chair of the Board firmly believes that automation is a key to further economic development in India. Pilz established its own subsidiary there in 2011. The headquarters is in Pune and Pilz has regional sales offices in Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi. In addition to components and systems for safe automation, Pilz also supports customers with a comprehensive range of services, consisting of consulting, engineering and training. Customers include German global players and Indian companies.