Phoenix Contact has recognized how important manufacturing software is in today’s integrated automation systems and, although it isn’t mentioned in the release, achieving real benefits from the coming Internet of Things technology wave.
In this press release, Phoenix Contact announces that it is integrating its software unit, KW-Software GmbH, into its Control Systems business unit and changing its name to Phoenix Contact Software on January 1, 2015.
Current KW-Software Managing Director Andreas Orzelski and Detleve Kuschgke, Director Research & Development in the Control Systems business unit at Phoenix Contact, will serve as the Executive Board at the new Phoenix Contact Software GmbH. Staff at the Lemgo site will join with the software developers from Phoenix Contact, who have been working at the Centrum Industrial IT (CIIT) in Lemgo for the past four years.
“Software is increasingly seen as a differentiator on the market. IT and production are becoming more closely integrated. That’s why it’s paramount that we expand our software expertise in order to sustainably expand our control systems portfolio and our industrial solution services,” says Roland Bent, Executive Vice President Marketing & Development, Member of the Board, at Phoenix Contact.
“This step allows us to pool our collective resources in order to be strategically oriented towards the technological requirements of Industry 4.0. The new CIIT building provides us with more space for further growth. KW-Software’s existing business with external customers will continue under the new name. This way, customers can take advantage of a wider range of software technologies from the Phoenix Contact Group,” adds Andreas Orzelski, current Managing Director at KW-Software.
“Fully integrating KW-Software into the Phoenix Contact company demonstrates further commitment by Phoenix Contact to the Control System Technology business,” said Dave Skelton, Vice President and General Manager of Phoenix Contact Development and Manufacturing. “Phoenix Contact’s ‘Solutions for the Future’ are increasingly enhanced by software. The KW-Software USA team will join our Phoenix Contact Control Systems team in Ann Arbor, Michigan.”
KW-Software GmbH was founded in Lemgo in 1982 and is recognized as a global leader in the development of control software based on the IEC 61131 programming languages and IEC 61508 safety technologies. Additionally, KW Software provides Profinet stacks, integration engineering, and Profinet single-chip interface and engineering tools for device manufacturers. The company has been part of the Phoenix Contact Group since 2001.
