Digitalizing Manufacturing

When you look at sales and go-to-market strategies in industrial equipment, you will observe that they are still driven by paper catalogues and physical exhibitions of heavy and complex equipment. At the same time, new technologies and digitalisation are making devices more and more sophisticated; new features and updates are being added continuously.

And the audience is becoming more and more savvy in the digital sphere. Buyers and users are researching online, and virtual experiences on the net are nothing new anymore. Therefore, the classic go-to-market approach no longer does justice to current developments and the needs of the market.

IndustryApps has built an app store for the global digitalisation of the factory. The store is part of a platform that combines the simplicity of an app store, the agility of a marketplace like Amazon and search functions of a search engine like Google, all focused on industrial businesses. In short, we help industrial companies to digitise their entire value chain by providing apps for the communication with suppliers and end-customers in a very agile and cost-effective way.

The Digital Name Plate App used in this project gives our clients the opportunity to communicate with their business partners in a very efficient and secure way. This applies to all after-sales related information flows, and in this case to sales and marketing, too.

During my first conversation with IndustryApps during the ITAP Closing Party at German Centre Singapore, I immediately liked that they offer the first open technology platform beyond national borders (except China). For me as a sales representative of Starrag and other reputable machine builders in ASEAN, this approach will allow a complete expansion of our successful market presence.

For the first time, it has now become possible to exchange technologies between partners and customers across countries – this saves us an enormous number of resources. As such, Starrag will be one of the first technology companies worldwide that can now feed and market its “own app store” with technology across borders in addition to the classic distribution.

Thomas: Starrag will be able to manage and control its machines and system solutions with their associated technologies in its own app store. The project can be compared to an integrated smartphone, like the one Apple has: The machine, which is controlled via the factory software, is transferred to the virtual world as a digital twin; updates or new functions will be available quickly and easily in the app store. For maintenance and service, we use a personal assistant – comparable to Siri for the iPhone. This approach literally opens doors for worldwide sales, training and product improvement.

Sandeep: GraBa Tech and Starrag have sophisticated high-precision machinery for demanding audiences like the aerospace industry. We are excited that the two companies are participating in the programme, as it provides real added value for industrial equipment businesses. Starrag’s product range will soon be available virtually to grow its business efficiently – including in Asian markets.

Rolf: We will be showcasing our solutions as part of AMEC. The experience centre is set up with the intention that people can learn and experience innovation and join new product launches of the most modern industrial equipment. They can get detailed information about a machine, experience its operation, understand machine controls and get training on how to operate the device – all virtually. That’s how we want to co-create the future of industrial equipment sales.

Thank you all very much for the interview!