Engel Group, the plastic injection moulding machine manufacturer based in Schwertberg (Austria), has taken over Technische Informationssysteme GmbH (TIG), the provider of manufacturing execution systems (MES). With this investment, Engel is consolidating its position as a leader in the area of MES for the injection moulding industry, thereby achieving another milestone in its Industry 4.0 strategy.
Engel and TIG have been closely cooperating in the area of MES solutions for many years. Among other things, e-factory, Engel’s own MES, is based on the development efforts of TIG. E-factory makes Engel one of the few injection moulding machine manufacturers in the world who can offer its customers a proprietary MES that has been precisely tailored to the requirements of the injection moulding industry.
“E-factory is an essential component of our inject 4.0 program, with which we support our customers in the digitalisation of their manufacturing processes. This is why our investment in TIG is strategically significant. Together, we can respond in an even more targeted fashion to the often very individualised requirements of our customers, thereby adding greater value for the customer, and strengthening the competitive ability of both companies,” said Dr Peter Neumann, CEO of the Engel Group.
TIG developed its first MES for the plastics industry back in 1994, which makes it a pioneer in this area, just as Engel is a pioneer in building injection moulding machines, as well as in the automation and integration of injection moulding processes. Together, Engel and TIG understand the interconnection of injection moulding processes at a deeper level than any other provider in the market. “We have ambitious plans together. The digitalisation of manufacturing processes in the plastics industry is rapidly gaining in importance. I am looking forward to even more intense collaboration with the TIG team,” stated Dr Stefan Engleder, chief technical officer, Engel.