by Gary Mintchell | Aug 19, 2024 | News, Organizations, Process Control, Sensors
Partnerships continue to form core strategy in this maturing industrial marketplace. This partnership allows each entity to focus resources on their core businesses forming a new entity with another focus.
Perhaps more technology companies should consider splitting out pieces of the business that could be focused and innovative. Then the core business could also be more focused and innovative. We’ve seen Emerson realign its portfolio over the past few years, for example.
German sensor company SICK and the Swiss measurement and automation technology specialist Endress+Hauser have agreed on a strategic partnership. Endress+Hauser will take over worldwide sales and service of SICK’s process analyzers and gas flowmeters, with a joint venture to be established for their production and further development. The aim of the partnership is to provide customers with even better support in increasing their efficiency and sustainability.
SICK and Endress+Hauser signed a joint memorandum of understanding for a strategic partnership in October 2023. Since then, the project has been examined and plans for implementing the cooperation have been drawn up. Following approval by the respective supervisory bodies, representatives of both companies have now signed a corresponding agreement. The closing of the transaction is planned for the turn of the year 2024/2025 and is subject to approval by antitrust authorities.
As a key aspect of the strategic partnership, Endress+Hauser will take over sales and service for process analysis and gas flow measurement technology completely. Around 800 specialized sales and service employees in 42 countries will transfer from SICK to Endress+Hauser. Customers will benefit by receiving more products from a single source. The global Endress+Hauser sales network will enable additional customers to be acquired, more industries to be reached and new applications to be developed.
From 2025, the production and further development of process analyzers and gas flowmeters will be the responsibility of a joint venture in which each partner will hold a 50 percent stake. It will employ about 730 people at several locations in Germany. The joint venture will work closely with Endress+Hauser’s competence centers to drive product innovations forward efficiently.
SICK is one of the world’s leading solution providers for sensor-based applications in the industrial sector. The core business of factory and logistics automation, which accounts for more than 80 percent of sales, will not be affected by the partnership.
by Gary Mintchell | Aug 16, 2024 | Commentary, News, Podcast
Podcast Audio and Video Posted
Many times in my career I have hired into a company during the initial surge of a market. Good jobs. Excitement. Opportunity to work on new things. Then the market matured or collapsed usually due to external forces such as technology changes or consumer behavior.
I hit recreation vehicles at a high point followed by high inflation and gasoline price surges. Then a consumer product company where Consumer Reports published a poorly researched article—but the external market also changed. Then PC peripherals. The latest was automation where a few of us started a magazine to cover it. The market was good for about 10 years. Then we went into brief cycles of IIoT, edge, networks, collaborative robots, IT companies looking at the manufacturing market.
This podcast began life in 2007 as Automation Minutes. I morphed it into Gary on Manufacturing to make it more general. That was more than 10 years ago. Must be time for another change.
That all is quite mature now.
Where do you think the offsetting new technologies or customer behavior will lead now? Or, is the market just going to begin to either consolidate further or split? What do you think?
by Gary Mintchell | Aug 15, 2024 | Commentary, News
I see Dr. Bob Kapheim several days a week at the community fitness center. He’s a professor in the science department at Judson University in suburban Chicago. A couple of weeks ago he told me his book had been published. The Lithium Rush Is On! Li. I ordered a copy from Bookshop.org and read it the last couple of days.
Why do we care about Lithium? Well, you can read the book, but in a word—batteries. You have Lithium Ion batteries all around you. Got a mobile phone? There’s one. I have an electric vehicle. There’s a big one.
Bob’s book is not long, but it is a comprehensive look at lithium. Where it resides in the ground. How it’s mined. Which countries stand to get a windfall in cash. What companies are mining.
If you have even the slightest curiosity about this metal important to our culture, check out the book. (My links are to Bookshop.org. They support local booksellers. The links are also not affiliate links where I would make a few dimes if you click.)
Doing my own due diligence, I asked ChatGPT for some of the latest on batteries. I received this.
Recent advancements in battery research are pushing the boundaries of energy storage and have the potential to significantly impact industries such as electric vehicles (EVs), consumer electronics, and even aviation.
1. **Solid-State Batteries**: Solid-state batteries are one of the most promising developments. These batteries use solid electrolytes instead of the liquid ones found in traditional lithium-ion batteries, which allows them to charge faster, last longer, and operate more safely. Recent innovations in this field include improvements in electrolyte composition and AI-driven material design, which could reduce costs and improve the performance of EVs. Companies like Volkswagen and Toyota are leading the charge, with commercial production expected by 2025.
2. **Cobalt-Free Batteries**: Researchers are also making strides in developing cobalt-free batteries. Cobalt, widely used in lithium-ion batteries, poses ethical and environmental challenges due to its scarcity and the conditions under which it is mined. MIT researchers have developed an organic battery that uses a material called TAQ, which could match the performance of traditional cobalt batteries while being more sustainable and cheaper to produce. This innovation could help reduce the reliance on cobalt in EV batteries.
3. **Anode-Free Sodium Batteries**: Another significant breakthrough comes from the development of anode-free sodium all-solid-state batteries. These batteries are not only less expensive but also faster to charge and more environmentally friendly than traditional lithium-ion batteries. This technology could open up new possibilities for large-scale energy storage, particularly in grid applications where cost and safety are paramount.
These advancements suggest a future where batteries are not only more efficient and powerful but also more sustainable, making them crucial for the transition to a greener economy.
by Gary Mintchell | Aug 14, 2024 | News, Organizations
My first Automation Fair was 1997. I think last year was the first I missed since. Not sure if I’ll be there or not this year. Depends on what they might be showing. Or whether they invite me as media/analyst. I don’t pay in order to promote them.
This year is Anaheim in mid-November. According to the link from the email they sent me, this year will cost you money. Looks like a fee for entrance to the trade show part and tack on $1,000 for entrance to sessions. The link they sent me was somewhat personalized or I’d share it.
Other customer conferences.
I will be at the Ignition Community Conference in Folsom, Calif. on September 17-18. I’ve seen where HUG Americas will be in Dallas at the beginning of October. No other information forthcoming. I’m no longer on Emerson’s list it seems, but I’ve heard nothing of what’s up there. Last year it was quite scaled back. The many other conferences I attended for years simply no longer exist. A sign of a matured industry.
by Gary Mintchell | Aug 13, 2024 | Commentary, News, Sustainability
I bought and EV about a year ago, so I have a special interest in what’s happening in the lithium and lithium battery markets. A guy who comes to our community fitness center almost as often as I do has written a book on lithium. More on that later.
Let’s combine an interest in lithium battery technology and manufacturing with a market analysis by the research firm I’ve found to have the best methodology, Interact Analysis. Research Associate Renee Ju has written about her latest report, “Li-ion Battery and Manufacturing Equipment”, that provides a deep analysis of the current battery recycling market.
Interact Analysis’ upcoming report “Li-ion Battery and Manufacturing Equipment” , and this insight explores some of the key themes in the report.
Manufacturers that establish recycling businesses come from across the battery industry chain, including upstream raw mineral and material suppliers, midstream battery manufacturers, vehicle OEMs and businesses specializing in battery recycling. In China, there are fewer large-scale companies that specialize in lithium battery recycling and currently companies with battery recycling plants tend to be manufacturers from elsewhere in the lithium battery industry chain. In contrast, in other major country markets the li-ion battery recycling market is dominated by large-scale recycling manufacturers that specialize in recycling businesses, such as Li-cycle. Other companies in the lithium battery industry chain predominantly participate in the battery recycling market through collaboration with recycling companies.
Aside from signing cooperative research agreements, cooperation on battery recycling among companies in the lithium battery industry chain usually takes the form of signing supply agreements. These can be divided into directional supply and establishing a closed-loop recycling ecosystem. Directional supply involves OEMs and battery manufacturers supplying scrap batteries or scrap materials to recycling companies, and recycling companies supplying recycled materials obtained from processing scrap batteries to raw material manufacturers.
In contrast, some companies collaborate with the aim of establishing a closed-loop recycling ecosystem. If we take the collaboration announced by GEM in February 2023 with Mercedes-Benz China, CATL, and Brunp as an example: Mercedes-Benz China’s retired waste batteries will be processed by GEM and Brunp, with the recycled key raw materials such as nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium supplied to CATL’s supply chain and used to produce new batteries for Mercedes-Benz. The cooperation in battery recycling between upstream and downstream companies in the lithium battery industry chain not only meets environmental protection requirements but also maximizes battery value and reduces battery production costs.
Some companies whose main operations are not directly related to batteries are also exploring the market for battery recycling, such as sanitation companies and other recycling enterprises (including those specializing in metal recycling and solid waste recycling). Typically, these companies run the battery recycling businesses through collaboration with lithium battery-related companies, with the recycling business supplying the products of their recycling plants to raw material manufacturers for further application in the lithium battery industry and for use in other industries. For example, the recycled nickel, cobalt, and tungsten powders can be utilized in the production of hard alloys, rather than being directly used in the production of lithium battery-related products.
With the rapid expansion of lithium battery capacity and the imminent wave of retired power batteries, recycling has become a safe, environmentally friendly, and economical way to dispose of scrap batteries and raw materials. As relevant policies and regulations are continuously improved and implemented by different countries, the battery recycling market is entering a new stage of professionalization and scale, with market opportunities continuously emerging. As a restructuring of the industry ecosystem takes place, optimizing resource allocation, strengthening technological research and development, accelerating upstream and downstream collaboration, and promoting the integration of the industrial chain may become the keys to success.
by Gary Mintchell | Aug 8, 2024 | News, Organizations
I seldom report on appointments, but this one seems to reflect a trend I see lately of industrial organizations hiring from the broader IT industry.
Fluke Corporation, the market leader in electronic test and measurement, announced the appointment of Vineet Thuvara as Chief Product Officer. In his new role, Vineet will oversee Fluke’s Solutions and Strategy organization to further accelerate our customers’ lifecycle through hardware, software, analytics and services. He will also spearhead efforts to strategically enter new markets, driving innovation to deliver products that simplify the jobs of customers, while developing new solutions across a broad portfolio of industries and products.
Prior to joining Fluke, Vineet served as General Manager and Director at Amazon, where he led the Alexa Echo product organization and helped develop the company’s first-party Alexa-based AI devices and experiences. Vineet also comes to Fluke with 15 years of experience at Microsoft in various leadership roles, and as the co-founder and CEO of an industrial design company based in New Delhi, India. where he gained a wealth of experience in taking complex technology products from concept through to market.
