Specialization Meets Industry Diversity

“He who ceases to improve stops being good
Philip Rosenthal

We consult corporations and large medium sized companies in high-tech industries that offer engineered products, complex services, or digital business models.

Our clients are often leaders in their industries and yet still want to improve. This is also necessary because all technology-driven industries are faced with enormous challenges determined by digitalization, increasing complexity, and pressure to innovate.

The challenges and the associated problems differ greatly. Yet, in our daily consulting practice, we find again and again that there is tremendous transfer potential, especially between the various industries. What looks different at first glance can be the breakthrough solution after a second look. And this is exactly where we start.

Working with the best – This challenges and drives us, not only to trust the best practices of today, but also to work on the best practices of tomorrow.

Aerospace

An industry reaches for the stars

The aerospace industry is an international growth sector and is characterized by high-tech and complex mechatronic systems. Measured in terms...

Aerospace : An industry reaches for the stars.

The aerospace industry is an international growth sector and is characterized by high-tech and complex mechatronic systems. Measured in terms of the total turnover, the industry is seeing some of the highest R&D expenses in Germany. The primary growth driver is civil aviation. The need for increasingly energy- and resource-efficient innovations and technologies in particular is a driver for high corporate R&D budgets. Innovation is also a highly popular topic when it comes to space flight. Here, in addition to classic areas of the aerospace sector, the industry is increasingly driven by transferring space flight technologies to practical everyday solutions. This ranges from satellite communication and navigation applications to robotics, as well as applications in daily life such as those involving the medical field. The greatest industry challenges are currently in the harsh competition on the global market, which is becoming more and more interesting, especially for emerging industrial nations. This ever-more global competitive landscape forces companies to increase their efficiency and cost savings in all areas of development.

In this challenging environment, we support our customers in the aerospace sector by:

• maintaining and optimizing their R&D capabilities;
• guiding them on the path from being traditional manufacturing companies to becoming digital players;
• generating breakthrough innovations for the digital future;
• setting up an internationally arranged organization with close integration of all partners and suppliers;
• harmonizing the joint process landscape;
• designing and implementing scalable modular product systems
Automotive

Full throttle into the future

The automobile industry is one of the driving forces of the global economy and is considered the “industry of industries.”...

Automotive : Full throttle into the future.

The automobile industry is one of the driving forces of the global economy and is considered the “industry of industries.” In the age of digitalization, both automobile manufacturers and supply companies are faced with the greatest challenges in their long-standing history. The challenges that the automotive industry currently faces are major and diverse. They need to organize the transition from combustion engines to new drive systems, master an ever-growing portfolio of vehicle types, and simultaneously cope with the shift to autonomous driving. Furthermore, the industry must also react to major changes in its customers’ mobility behavior as the meaning of the car loses more and more significance as a status symbol, particularly for the younger generation, and modern mobility concepts like car sharing, for example, become increasingly popular. In addition, new competitors are entering the market that attack the mainstream OEMs with these and other new business models. The automotive industry is taking on a pioneering role here in the fusion of classic mechanical products with digital products and services.

We support our automotive clients in the context of the great upcoming challenges, by helping them to:

• form innovative business models for the mobility of the future and develop robust development strategies for the volatile markets
• respond to the shortening of cycles and reduced flexibility of the product development process and transform into an agile development organization
• set up consistent model-based digital R&D
• organize future-proof vehicle architectures and effectively use systems engineering for mastering complex ecosystems
• master the wide variety of variants exploding on the market
Defence and security

Innovation driver for more security in uncertain times

The defense and security industry is characterized by very different dependencies such as countries’ defense budgets, political relationships to possible...

Defence and security : Innovation driver for more security in uncertain times.

The defense and security industry is characterized by very different dependencies such as countries’ defense budgets, political relationships to possible foreign clients, and the overall geopolitical situation. At the same time, it is one of the economy’s innovation drivers. Many defense budgets have been greatly reduced during the last decade. Arms exports are viewed more and more critically in the political world and by the general public, so capacities have been scaled back, jobs have been cut, and competitors were forced to merge. Competition for the lucrative contracts has thus significantly increased. At the same time, requirements are increasing, not just for the technology, but also for the performance of the company, its processes, and the way it handles risks, especially where they intersect with suppliers. These are critical factors when armaments projects are assigned throughout the world. The development of security solutions has increasingly become the focus of companies as a result of the rise in terror and cyberattacks. In addition, the industry is struggling with its image due to equipment and procurement shortages in recent years. This leads to a further increase in pressure to maintain timing, costs, and quality.

In this tense environment, we work with our defense and security clients on:

• setting up a future-oriented innovation portfolio
• generating the breakthrough innovations required to do this
• structuring their R&D organization and harmonizing the process landscape in a way consistent with future developments
• effectively implementing cooperations, partnerships, and mergers
• improving and configuring their systems engineering to get it in shape for the digital age
Eletronics

Completely digitalized and networked

The electronics industry is characterized by disruptive innovations and by the complete digitalization and networking of its products. This opens...

Eletronics : Completely digitalized and networked.

The electronics industry is characterized by disruptive innovations and by the complete digitalization and networking of its products. This opens new growth areas and opportunities for new business models and complex services. The market for traditional consumer electronics continues to decline in the electronics industry while the significance of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets and new technologies like wearables and virtual reality is rapidly increasing. The boundaries between consumer electronics and computer science are becoming more and more blurred as the networking of devices increases. Companies in the electronics industry are facing the challenge of regularly generating new product features or new services and business models in shorter cycles. Furthermore, the complexity of the products and the development processes is increasing due to digital networking. In many cases, electronics products only develop their full customer value as systems of systems that are most compelling when new characteristics and services emerge together with other systems.

We support our clients from the electronics sector as they overcome these challenges, by helping them to:

• identify and generate disruptive innovations
• master the increasing complexity of development
• increase the flexibility of the product development process and transformation into an agile development organization
• set up consistent model-based digital R&D
• design and implement scalable modular product systems
• expand systems engineering approaches to master increasing product complexity
Energy and utilities

An electrifying industry

The energy industry is currently experiencing a trilemma: Security of the supply must be ensured, sustainable energy sources must be...

Energy and utilities : An electrifying industry.

The energy industry is currently experiencing a trilemma: Security of the supply must be ensured, sustainable energy sources must be expanded and developed, and affordable energy must be provided at the same time – and all that has to happen in turbulent times. In the past, the energy industry did not see much of a need for change. However, in today’s times of ever more rapidly transforming markets, change is unavoidable. The industry needs new radical approaches to ensure its future viability. It needs agile practices so it can provide functional solutions at an early stage. And it needs courage and the competence for change to keep pace with innovative business models and gain strategic advantages. One of the industry’s main challenges is the trend toward new, digital business models and networked, complex services (such as smart homes), that fulfill latent customer needs and have the characteristics of a unique selling point. The multidimensionality of the energy transition, advancing globalization and transparency in emerging markets of energy trade as a commodity, the pursuit of ecological thinking and sustainability, the necessity for a secure energy supply that is guaranteed during outages as well as attacks (cyber security, terror), are all challenging developments that force the industry to take action.

In this tense environment, we work with our energy clients on:

• digitally transforming their business models
• identifying the necessary strategic innovation projects along with their initialization and successful implementation
• implementing consistent, model-based, digital organization of R&D
• designing and implementing scalable modular architectures for the energy systems of the future
• introducing systems engineering along the path to becoming a provider of systems and solutions
Health tech

Where innovative strength can save lives

The highly dynamic health tech industry is characterized by outstanding innovative strength and short product cycles. However, the industry is...

Health tech : Where innovative strength can save lives.

The highly dynamic health tech industry is characterized by outstanding innovative strength and short product cycles. However, the industry is currently subject to rapid changes primarily driven by digitalization and developments in biotechnology. Medical technology manufacturers generate approximately one third of their revenue with products that are no more than three years old. This is why medical technology companies that perform research invest an average of around 9 percent of their revenue in research and development – nearly twice as much as the chemical industry, which is considered to be exceptionally innovative. In today’s times of digital transformation, this industry is facing several challenges. Due to a highly regulated market, tension arises for companies between risk management for ensuring safety, efficacy tests, and a demanding quality management system with high innovation and product development speed at the same time. Furthermore, ideas and requirements for new products in the health tech industry predominantly stem from specific and individual patient needs. This is why it is even more important to be close to end customers and quickly and continually allow feedback to influence product development. Agile operations will play an increasingly large role here in the future.

We support our customers in the health tech sector in this challenging environment by helping them to:

• establish a future-oriented innovation portfolio
• generate the breakthrough innovations required to do this
• significantly reduce the time from the product idea to its market launch and transform into an agile development organization
• design and implement modular scalable architectures for the medical technology systems of the future
• set up consistent model-based digital R&D
• expand systems engineering approaches to master increasing product complexity
Industrial

Where the future is produced

The industrial sector is characterized by very intense competition triggered by advancing globalization. Reinforcing innovative strength and the increase in...

Industrial : Where the future is produced.

The industrial sector is characterized by very intense competition triggered by advancing globalization. Reinforcing innovative strength and the increase in efficiency in product development processes are currently important tools for industrial companies for maintaining their expertise and positions as technology leaders. High -tech products from the major industrial nations, primarily from central Europe, continue to have a very good reputation throughout the world. For this reason, innovation, flexibility, individualization of systems, small batch sizes, and premium quality are the key success factors for industrial companies so that they can sustainably ensure and further improve their position in the market. At the same time, the industrial sector is facing critical challenges in the form of using Industry 4.0 for expanded or entirely new functions, increasing automation, the trend toward environmentally friendly and energy efficient technologies, and the expansion of services. Due to global competition, the life cycle costs of products must be continually reduced.

We support our clients from the industrial sector as they overcome these challenges by helping them to:

• set up viable product and service portfolios with answers to the challenges of Industry 4.0
• generate the digital breakthrough innovations and disruptive ideas necessary for this
• sustainably optimize the global R&D organization
• increase agility, efficiency, and development speed
• optimize the lifecycle costs and ensure high quality
• design scalable modular systems for the machines and systems of the future
Transportation

Where networking gets things moving

Despite increased demand for agricultural goods, rising demand for infrastructure solutions, and increasing international trade, the transportation industry is facing...

Transportation : Where networking gets things moving.

Despite increased demand for agricultural goods, rising demand for infrastructure solutions, and increasing international trade, the transportation industry is facing disruptive change. Due to increasing automation, demand for zero emissions, and the digitalization of products and processes, the transport machines of the future must radically change, whether this means trains with fuel cells, electrically driven trucks, autonomous systems in agriculture, highly networked driver cabs in construction machinery, or new universal mobility concepts in harmony with the protection of resources and the environment. Manufacturers of transport solutions must see the transition as an opportunity for continued existence among new players in the market, well into the future.

In this challenging environment, we support our transportation clients by:

• designing innovative business models for the transport systems of the future
• guiding them on the path from traditional manufacturing companies to becoming a system house for digital transport solutions
• significantly reducing the time from the product idea to its market launch and transforming into an agile development organization
• helping them set up consistent model-based digital R&D
• designing modular scalable vehicle architectures and building blocks