GERMANY – More flexibility in the face of economic and market fluctuations, as well as access to the latest technologies. This is the promise of the new “Woodworking-as-a-Service” business model that will be created in the course of the next two years.

In the future, this will enable customers to pay for a machine based on its actual use, i.e. customers will not buy a machine once for X amount but will receive a machine for which usage will be invoiced at regular intervals. In this way, it is no longer the machine that is the focus of the business model, but its performance, its production, its availability and the service offered that ensures all this.

In addition, the Weinig Group received confirmation of the “Woodworking-as-a-Service” innovative business model support under the “InvestBW” support program of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. This funding is intended for companies based in Baden-Württemberg for research and development projects for new, data-driven business models and services (intelligent services).

Weinig is working together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology and Automation (IPA) and the companies Roth Steuerungstechnik and Hogra-Holz on this support project. The Fraunhofer IPA in Stuttgart will support the consortium with state-of-the-art scientific methods and expertise in the creation of business models. Billigheim-based Roth Steuerungstechnik is the team’s software expert and an important partner in the development of the technical application of the service. Jochen Ganz, head of Weinig’s New Business & Innovation department comments that they are extremely proud of the participation of Limbach-based Hogra-Holz as a pilot customer. Their participation ensures that the business model will be developed with the customer’s requirements in mind and that the customer’s perspective will be considered from the outset.

The project has now officially started. At a meeting with the partners involved, the project plan and work packages were finalized. Julian Geiselhardt, innovation manager and project manager of “Woodworking-as-a-Service” states that it is intended to report at regular intervals on the ongoing development in order to ensure absolute transparency.

With the focus on the expansion of intelligent and digital business models, WEINIG once again lives up to its reputation as a promoter of innovation.

During the WEINIG Solid Wood Summit (“Solid Wood Summit”), there will also be a thematic block related to the “Woodworking-as-a-Service” project. In addition to the general topics of the model, a panel of experts from the project partners will provide more detailed information. To participate free of charge, you can register at the following link: https://experience.weinig.com/eventplan/detail/woodworking-as-a-service