Rethink Robotics establishes new company headquarters and Siemens Technology Accelerator as a shareholder

At its new Bochum, Germany headquarters, Rethink Robotics will develop new robotics technologies with the support of Siemens Corporate Technology, creating highly jobs for skilled professionals.

During the summer of 2020, Rethink Robotics, as a subsidiary of the HAHN Group, moved into new company headquarters, where the production of collaborative robot systems takes place. The location has been officially inaugurated in the presence of Bochum’s Lord Mayor Thomas Eiskirch and Bernd Tönjes, CEO of the RAG-Stiftung, a majority stakeholder in the HAHN Group through its holding company RSBG SE.

The premises are part of the new HAHN Group Technology Center, a meeting point for customers and partners to experience and further develop innovative technologies. In the immediate vicinity of universities and research institutions, this creates a central place for the exchange of information, skills and technological developments. The building itself was constructed by sister companies of the HAHN Group within the RAG-Stiftung, accounting for the short-term space requirements and promoting further growth.

“The opening of the new corporate headquarters and production facility of Rethink Robotics symbolizes the transformation of the mining region into a location for future technologies. We supported the settlement from the start and are sure that Rethink Robotics will find an ideal environment here in order to continue their growth,” states Bernd Tönjes.

Rethink Robotics has already created 30 highly qualified jobs in Bochum. Their collaborative robot systems, which will be produced on-site, are used in manufacturing companies, as well as in in service applications for laboratory environments. Further investments in the development of the technology and the ongoing expansion of the team are planned for the future.

“Rethink Robotics made the right choice of location with Bochum,” says Mayor Thomas Eiskirch speaking about the company’s decision to set up its new headquarters in Bochum and to create additional highly qualified jobs. “In Bochum, modern robot technology is already being developed and used in other areas to support people in everyday life. In Bochum we like to rethink tasks that we face today and will face tomorrow. We like to think outside the box – with the objective of finding new, future-oriented answers.”

Another milestone for the development of the company at the Bochum location is the recently implemented cooperation between Rethink Robotics and Siemens Technology Accelerator (STA). STA acquired a minority of the shares in Rethink Robotics as part of a technology contribution. The contribution includes know-how, patents and designs in the field of innovative hardware solutions for lightweight robots and cobots.

In addition, a development cooperation between Rethink Robotics and Siemens Corporate Technology was agreed upon, in which the Siemens Corporate Technology hardware solutions are to be further developed in a transition period so that their strengths are optimally combined with the Intera software from Rethink Robotics. The first studies on this are already running.

“With the technology from Siemens, we are rapidly getting closer to the start of a new series of robots and will be presenting a first prototype in spring 2021,” explained Daniel Bunse, CEO of Rethink Robotics.

Dr. Rudolf Freytag, CEO of Siemens Technology Accelerator GmbH, stated: “We see great potential for success in this hardware technology developed by Siemens Corporate Technology and are pleased to be creating the best conditions for market success with Rethink Robotics. Siemens Digital Industries will of course continue to support the robotics sector with controls and innovative software solutions. “