The Connected Factory Podcast
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Pitching IT/OT Integration to Management
In this episode of The Connected Factory Podcast, host Alexander Krüger speaks with Dr. Tilman Buchner , about the shift toward software-defined automation. They explore the challenges and opportunities in bridging IT and OT, scaling industrial use cases, and the growing importance of open-source and resilient architectures in manufacturing.
- Shifting from traditional automation to software-defined solutions
- Bridging IT/OT gaps and deploying services at scale
- Why unified namespace can simplify data management
- Balancing reliability with flexible, cloud-native updates
- Opportunities in the pharma industry and beyond
- BCG’s hands-on approach to engineering and proof-of-concept
- Shifting from traditional automation to software-defined solutions
- Bridging IT/OT gaps and deploying services at scale
- Why unified namespace can simplify data management
- Balancing reliability with flexible, cloud-native updates
- Opportunities in the pharma industry and beyond
- BCG’s hands-on approach to engineering and proof-of-concept

Partner and Director - BCG

Co-founder and CEO - UMH
Swedish OEM supplier reduces costs with resource and energy monitoring
Company Snapshot
Europe’s leading provider of innovative heating and charging solutions for the automotive industry. With over 100 employees, the company operates from its headquarters in Sweden.
Challenges
- Small project team with limited resources
- No live feedback from the shop floor
- Heterogeneous machine park
Outcome
5%
Saved energy costs
90%
Reduced downtime due to lack of resources
20%
Reduced unplanned maintenance
Sonnländer increased asset productivity with OEE monitoring
Company Snapshot
Sonnländer, a subsidiary of EDEKA, is a leading producer of fruit juices and fruit-based products in Europe. With over 400 employees and 4 production facilities, it processes over 400,000 tons of fruit annually.
Challenges
- Heterogeneous machine park
- No live feedback from the shop floor
- Internal resources need to focus on use cases, not infrastructure
Outcome
10-15%
Increased OEE
10-20%
Increased asset availability
>40%
Shorter root-cause problem solving
European energy producer increases implementation speed with Unified Namespace architecture
Company Snapshot
A major European energy company with a focus on renewable energy and innovative energy solutions. Employing over 75,000 people, it operates in multiple countries.
Challenges
- Unstable internet connections
- Limited throughput rate of OT systems
- High reliability demands
Outcome
80%
Reduced integration time per use-case
60%
Reduced Mean Time To Detect (MTTD)
90%
Reduced integration maintenance
European energy producer increases implementation speed with Unified Namespace architecture
Company Snapshot
A major European energy company with a focus on renewable energy and innovative energy solutions. Employing over 75,000 people, it operates in multiple countries.
Challenges
- Heterogeneous machine park
- No live feedback from the shop floor
- Internal resources need to focus on use cases, not infrastructure
Outcome
80%
Reduced integration time per use-case
60%
Reduced Mean Time To Detect (MTTD)
90%
Reduced integration maintenance
Previous Episodes

Building your In-house IIoT platform - Tactical Learnings
Kasper Karlsson Christiansen, Senior Platform Owner at VELUX, joins Alex to discuss his journey from electrician to building industrial IoT platform.

Data Contracts and Unified Namespace in Manufacturing
Jeremy sits down with David Schultz from Rhize Manufacturing Data Hub to discuss the role of data contracts and the Unified Namespace (UNS) in modern manufacturing.

Digitizing Pharma with Unified Namespace (UNS)
In this first episode of The Connected Factory podcast, Alex sits down with Jan Wokittel from Roche to explore the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in the pharmaceutical industry.
Interested in the possibilities?See UMH in action!
