Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

ag

Yamaha Motor Ventures leads $7.5 million funding round for Verge Ag

by Leave a Comment

Yamaha Motor Ventures, the strategic business development and investment arm of Yamaha Motor, has led a $7.5 million Series A funding round for Verge Ag, a precision agriculture company.

Verge claims to be the developer of the world’s first AI-powered interactive software that enables farmers to plan, simulate, and validate the movement of equipment in the field and execute field operations efficiently.

Nolan Paul, partner and Global Ag Tech lead for Yamaha Motor Ventures, says: “This investment in Verge Ag underlines our thesis that precision farming technologies are mission critical to a sustainable future for agriculture. [Read more…] about Yamaha Motor Ventures leads $7.5 million funding round for Verge Ag

The autonomous future of industrial vehicles: Interview with John Deere business manager Jesse Haecker

by Leave a Comment

John Deere is, by most accounts, the world’s largest manufacturer of agricultural machinery – tractors, combine harvesters and so on. According to figures published by Statista, the 185-year-old American giant generated revenues of almost $32 billion in 2020. 

The next three companies on the list are, in order, Kubota ($15 billion), CNH Industrial ($11 billion), and AGCO ($9 billion). So Deere is clearly in the lead now, but one of those three companies – CNH Industrial – may be in a good position to grow its market share going forward because it launched a quite striking looking autonomous tractor a couple of years ago.

While CNH’s machine may look too futuristic for most farms, possibly leading people to believe it won’t take off any time soon, John Deere has nonetheless responded to the whole autonomous trend by launching its own driverless tractor (pictured below), which was showcased at the recent CES event. [Read more…] about The autonomous future of industrial vehicles: Interview with John Deere business manager Jesse Haecker

Software AG helps automate OEE calculation with new app for Cumulocity IoT

by Leave a Comment

Software AG has launched an app to automate Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) calculation for its Cumulocity IoT platform.

The new app will enable manufacturers of any size to collect and process key data as it’s created and quickly understand production effectiveness.

By monitoring production line availability, performance and quality, organizations can be more responsive to inefficiencies in their operations, enabling them to avert problems and capitalize on opportunities to be more effective. [Read more…] about Software AG helps automate OEE calculation with new app for Cumulocity IoT

GeicoTaikisha chooses ADAMOS and Software AG to digitise automotive painting process

by Leave a Comment

Software AG (see video below) is to provide industrial internet of things solutions to GeicoTaikisha, one of the world’s leading designers and builders of automated auto body paintshops.

The companies say the agreement will help GeicoTaikisha to digitalise the entire painting process for its customers’ vehicle production plants.

GeicoTaikisha needed to connect its facilities, collect data and develop value-added applications to give new services to its customers. [Read more…] about GeicoTaikisha chooses ADAMOS and Software AG to digitise automotive painting process

Kuehne + Nagel breaks ground for new Luxembourg logistics hub

by

Kuehne + Nagel held the ground-breaking ceremony of a new contract logistics centre in Luxembourg.

The event also marked the 10-year contract extension between Kuehne + Nagel and sports equipment supplier On AG, a co-operation that started in 2010.

The new contract logistics centre, due to open in the second half of 2020, will serve On as its advanced European distribution centre for both off- and online channels and will play an important role in the rapid international expansion of the Swiss company specialized in performance running shoes. [Read more…] about Kuehne + Nagel breaks ground for new Luxembourg logistics hub

Endress+Hauser expands sensor technology plant

by

Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG, part of the Endress+Hauser Group, has expanded its plant in Ebnat-Kappel in eastern Switzerland.

The expansion of the site is in response to growing demand for its sensors. The facility, built at a cost of nearly 15 million euros, now offers double the floor space.

The 13,500-square-metre plant includes roughly 3,700 square metres of production space, 1,500 of which is set aside for clean rooms.

[Read more…] about Endress+Hauser expands sensor technology plant

Software AG rings opening bell at German Stock Exchange

by

Executives from Software AG were invited to ring the opening bell at the German Stock Exchange to start the day’s trading.

The company says the honour is the culmination of decades of work which has affected the “lives of millions”. In an interview with Robotics and Automation News, one of Software AG’s key executives provides insights into the company. (See video below.)

Software AG was founded on May 30, 1969, as a start-up. Today, it claims to be the largest independent integration software provider in the world. [Read more…] about Software AG rings opening bell at German Stock Exchange