PanEuropean optoelectronics.

Anglia Components has signed a Pan-European distribution agreement with Isocom Components the leading manufacturer of high performance infrared optoelectronic devices. Anglia now stocks Isocom Components full range of cost effective opto isolators including equivalents for all the popular commercial industry standard types, including discontinued models.

LtoR:John Bowman, Anglia with
Karl Murray, Isocom Components

“Isocom Components is one of the most respected brands in the worldwide optoelectronic industry”, says John Bowman, Anglia’s Marketing Director. “We are very impresses by the short leadtimes that the company offers which is due to its expertise and flexible manufacturing processes, and Isocom Components can also carry out special parametric selections to meet customer’s specific circuit design requirements.”

Karl Murray, Sales and Marketing at Isocom Components adds: “We are excited to join Anglia, especially as they are now bringing their famed customer service – which is renowned in the UK and Ireland – to customers all across the EU. Anglia’s innovative supply chain programs, including sampling, 90-day credit and customer loyalty schemes fit well with Isocom Components technological advantage and customer support ethos.”

Isocom Components opto isolators are approved to the leading recognised industry standards and all devices are available in various lead forms and in tape and reel packaging. The company also offers optoswitches and solid state relays.

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@angliaLive  @BWW_Comms #Electronics #PAuto #Europe

Major OT-Cybersecurity event programme.

Prague conference to include two breakfast forums and an expo, as well as many speaker sessions and training opportunities.

ISA's fourth annual OT Cybersecurity Summit
Prague (CZ) on 16-18 June 2026.

The ISA OT-Cybersecurity Summit will draw hundreds of experts in operational technology (OT) cybersecurity at the management level or higher in the energy, manufacturing, water/wastewater, oil and gas and maritime/transportation industries. This two-track, multi-day event will be organised around two major topics: threat intelligence in supply chain security and cyber-physical safety risk management. The keynote address will offer perspectives on transatlantic cyber cooperation from Berta Jarosova, cyber attachée to the United States and Canada for Czechia and co-founder of Women4Cyber Czechia.

Two breakfast forums — a new offering this year — will include thoughtful discussion panels with top cybersecurity experts. Those who attend these forums can expect to leave with practical insights on bridging IT and OT and turning cyber directives into actionable plans.

The Cyber Empowerment Forum features:

• Megan Samford, VP, chief security officer, U.S. National Security Agreements and U.S. Federal Business, Schneider Electric
• Berta Jarošová, cyber attachée to the United States and Canada, Embassy of the Czech Republic and co-founder of Women4Cyber Czechia
• Dr. Marina Krotofil, independent expert evaluator and reviewer, European Commission
• Cheri Caddy, senior cybersecurity advisor, Savannah River National Laboratory
• Tatyana Bolton, principal, head of cyber practice, Monument Advocacy

The Countdown to Compliance Forum features:

• Steve Mustard, president, au2mation
• Ilja David, co-founder, IT/OT cybersecurity manager and architect, Iron OT
• Gustav Martin Bartel, senior expert, cybersecurity industrial IT, Robert Bosch GmbH
• Lukasz Kister, Ph.D., Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) Expert Group member, European Commission
• Petr Kopřiva, senior consultant, BDO Consulting s.r.o.

This conference will continue to demonstrate how consensus standards and conformity assessment can meet the critical needs arising from current events and new regulation, including the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). ISA sets many of the technical standards used in industrial automation, including ISA/IEC 62443, the world’s only consensus-based automation and control systems cybersecurity standards. In addition to developing and maintaining these standards, the organisation offers training and credentialing on cybersecurity; certifies products, processes and systems through its ISASecure® certification; and raises awareness about the importance of OT cybersecurity through its membership consortium, the ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance (ISAGCA).

“The ISA community brings together many of the world’s top industrial cybersecurity experts, and we are proud to have developed ISA/IEC 62443, the standards that set the most secure operational technologies,” said Claire Fallon, CEO of ISA. “What sets apart the ISA OT Cybersecurity Summit is its focus on sharing real-world insight into ISA/IEC 62443 and effective approaches for putting those standards into practice.”

In addition to a robust technical program, the 2026 OT Cybersecurity Summit will offer multiple additional workshops, special events and industry-leading training opportunities for attendees:

• Training: Using the ISA/IEC 62443 Standards to Secure Your Control Systems (IC32) and IACS Cybersecurity Design and Implementation (IC34)
• Incident Command Systems for Industrial Control Systems (ICS4ICS) workshop: A tutorial for ICS4ICS, which combines OT/ICS, incident command and cybersecurity work into one framework to improve cyber incident response capabilities at companies and organisations.

Early-bird registration for the 2026 OT Cybersecurity Summit in Prague is now open at a reduced price until 17 April 2026, at which point standard pricing will take effect. Early-bird tickets to the breakfast forums and expo start at $125,00US (€108,00) Early-bird tickets to the conference — including the breakfast forums and expo in addition to networking receptions and program stages — start at $940,00US (€810,00) for ISA members.

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@ISA_Automation @DigitalEU  @automation_com #CRA #PAuto #Europe

Cyber resilience in European industry.

Strengthening industrial automation in OT environments by monitoring and tracking vulnerabilities across software supply chains.

The European research and innovation project ENFORCERS (Enhanced Cooperation for Cybersecurity)* has officially started, bringing together a strong consortium of industrial manufacturers and cybersecurity technology providers, supported by applied research organisations to address one of Europe’s most pressing challenges: ensuring resilient, trustworthy software throughout the lifecycle of industrial automation systems.

Consortium partners at the ENFORCERS project kickoff meeting, February 2026

The project’s official kickoff took place during February 2026 at WIBU-SYSTEMS AG in Karlsruhe (D), where consortium partners met in person for the first time to align on the strategic roadmap for the coming three years. The meeting marked the operational starting point of ENFORCERS and set the stage for close cross-border collaboration enabled by EU funding.

From incident detection to secure recovery: closing the cybersecurity loop.
ENFORCERS is designed to go beyond isolated security measures. Its central objective is to close the loop between cybersecurity incident detection, coordinated response, certification, and secure software redistribution in industrial environments. This is particularly relevant for automation and manufacturing, where software must often be updated across segmented, partially disconnected, or heterogeneous Operational Technology (OT) networks.

At the heart of the project is a Cybersecurity System Platform that links multiple trusted instances into a securely chained “system circle.” This includes:

• Private Security Operation Centers (SOCs) that collect, correlate, and classify incident and vulnerability data,
• Secure Elements that act as trust anchors at OT edges and gateways,
• Automated playbooks for vulnerability mitigation, certification, and secure software updates,
• and cross-border data exchange mechanisms that allow SOCs and stakeholders to cooperate while respecting data sovereignty.

The technical approach directly supports compliance with NIS2 and anticipates requirements of the Cyber Resilience Act, while remaining adaptable to future regulatory and technological developments.

“ENFORCERS brings together technologies, processes, and stakeholders into an operational cybersecurity framework,” explained Alvaro Forero, Project Coordinator at WIBU-SYSTEMS AG. “As coordinator, our responsibility is to ensure that we are building a cooperative system where incident handling, trust anchors, and secure software deployment work together across organisational and national boundaries. The kickoff meeting confirmed a shared understanding that cybersecurity resilience must be engineered into the full lifecycle of industrial software.”

Clearly defined roles across a strong European consortium.
ENFORCERS brings together partners with complementary expertise across Europe. As project coordinator, Wibu-Systems contributes its long-standing expertise in software protection, licensing, and secure update mechanisms for industrial environments, while ensuring technical coherence and cross-partner integration across the project. Industrial companies such as Balluff (Germany and Hungary), Schneider Electric (France), TTTECH Computertechnik (Austria), and Technology Nexus Secured Business Solutions (Sweden) contribute real-world requirements from automation, manufacturing, and industrial networking. Technology and cybersecurity specialists including Infineon Technologies (Germany), Langlauf Security Automation (Germany), DYNAMIKI (Greece), AITAD (Germany), and ResilTech (Italy) provide expertise ranging from AI and embedded systems to secure elements and cryptography to SOC operations and incident response. Applied research is supported by subcontractors such as Fraunhofer SIT, while VDMA contributes its industrial network and policy interface.

From a partner perspective, the project is also seen as a commitment to European cooperation.

“At ResilTech, we look forward to contributing with full commitment and to working alongside such high-level partners to strengthen Europe’s industrial cybersecurity,” said Francesco Brancati, Security Solution Manager and R&D Program Manager at ResilTech Srl, underlining the importance of cross-border collaboration as a prerequisite for resilient industrial systems.

The project effectively integrates three essential layers of work, ranging from structural activities such as system requirements and architecture design, through practical implementation efforts including SOC integration, digital elements, and secure connectors, to quality-oriented tasks focused on dissemination, standards compliance monitoring and training.

Early milestones include the definition of legal and technical requirements, the design of the Cybersec System architecture, and the setup of initial SOC and platform components, followed by demonstrators and validation in later phases.

Industrial partners see ENFORCERS as a strategic investment in long-term resilience. Dr. Markus Jung, VP Engineering at Balluff GmbH emphasised during the project launch, “ENFORCERS is a great opportunity for Balluff to build a strong network with leading partners in the cybersecurity domain. The project will support us in further strengthening our cybersecurity measures and enhancing best practices across our industrial automation products, processes, and manufacturing sites. The strong consortium enables us to anticipate emerging trends in the coming years, well beyond the requirements of the Cyber Resilience Act, and ultimately helps us empower our customers to increase their own cybersecurity.”

Over the next three years, ENFORCERS will deliver technical demonstrators, best practices, training activities, and contributions to standardisation and certification discussions. By combining industrial deployment experience with cybersecurity expertise, the project aims to create results that are replicable across sectors and that strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty in industrial software and automation.

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* Co-funded by the European Union, under the Grant Agreement No. 101249745, the project is supported by the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC). Views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre.

Additional Dedicated Resource: R&D project dedicated web page.

@WibuSystems  @Balluff #Cybersecurity #PAuto

Supply constraints are approaching rapidly.

"Some memory manufacturers have closed their books for new orders this year..."

Anglia Components, a leading independent, authorised distributor of electronic components in Europe, is actively advising customers of anticipated supply constraints in the market. The company is warning that the market is flipping from a downward price trend with most components available ex-stock, to an upward price trend and extending lead times. Prices are rising by 5-15%, and lead-times from manufacturers for standard products such as MCUs has already reached 23 weeks in certain circumstances. And this was already the status prior to the recent events in the Middle East, which are likely to compound and exacerbate the situation.

“We are hoping that it won’t return to the disruption experienced in 2020-2022 when customers without forward orders found themselves paying extreme premiums on the grey market simply to keep production running “, says John Bowman, Anglia’s Marketing Director (Pictured right). “But already, some memory manufacturers have closed their books for new orders this year, and across the board, our manufacturing partners are quoting progressively longer lead-times. You have to learn from history, and I am highly certain we are heading towards a period of restricted supply in the very near future.”

With more than 50 years of experience navigating market cycles, Anglia is advising customers to place orders early to secure their required production volumes. Bowman continues: “Customers need to take measured action now and lay down their component requirements for at least the next 12 months. Now is most certainly not the time to sit back and wait – as Theodore Roosevelt once said: ‘…the worst thing you can do is nothing’ “.

As manufacturer and distribution inventories tighten and die banks are drawn down, goods ordered today are likely to have a lead time of six months, and extending. But that is much better than being told that there is no availability and no chance of getting the parts you need other than falling back on the grey market. Anglia, known as the “Kings of Inventory”, are ready to work with every customer, large and small, to manage the challenges ahead.

Bowman concludes: “We have a reputation as the eyes and ears for SMEs. We are trusted to work with them through challenging times and help mitigate risks to their production. But it’s vital that our message is taken seriously — recent years should not create a false sense of security. Purchasing strategies need to adapt, and the time for action is now.”

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See also: Component market in full swing! ("Don't get caught out!")

@angliaLive @BWW_Comms #Electronics #PAuto #Components #Europe

A fully European alternative.

All-in-One Office Suite, 100% European.

Office.eu, a 100% European owned alternative to widely used productivity platforms such as Microsoft Office and Google Workspace, has officially launched today in The Hague (NL). Built on open-source technology and running entirely on European infrastructure, Office.eu enables organisations to regain control over their data and digital operations.

"We have seen more and more how essential it is to become cloud-independent and to rely on software that is built around European values,” said Maarten Roelfs, CEO of Office.eu. “For many years, Europe has relied on American software and therefore created a certain risk of dependency, but we have also given away the control over our own data. Office.eu proves that we now have a strong European alternative, with sovereignty, privacy and transparency at its core.”

The platform has been tested over recent months by early adopters across Europe. Designed as a complete office suite, Office.eu combines document editing, collaboration and secure data storage, while fully complying with European Union data protection legislation.

The launch comes at a time of growing concern about digital dependency and data sovereignty. Recent geopolitical developments have underlined the strategic importance of having secure, independent digital infrastructure within Europe.

Maarten Roelfs explains the positioning of the company: “Office.eu is 100% European owned and runs entirely on European data centres. The data and the apps stay exactly where it belongs and are safe from non-European control. The Office Suite is very intuitive and easy to use enabling a seamless switch from American software to office.eu. We also help customers to migrate very conveniently from Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. It is currently rolling out across Europe by invitation for selected clients who have requested access. Pricing is comparable to existing market alternatives and tools are available to ensure smooth data migration. Potential clients are welcome to apply. A widespread, phased European rollout is planned in 2nd quarter 2026. It's now available across Europe, with pricing comparable to existing market alternatives and tools to facilitate smooth data migration.”

"Security Delta (HSD) is proud that Office.eu is rooted in The Hague, the International City of Peace and Justice. In this city we work together and we are a leading hub for digital governance, cybersecurity and innovation. The city actively supports initiatives that strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty and contribute to a secure, open and resilient digital future.” Joris den Bruinen, General Director of Security Delta (HSD).

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• Read the full story and listen to the interview with Maarten Roelfs on Stories of Purpose The Hague.

#OfficeEU #Software

Supporting Europe’s Digital Product Passport vision.

Open, interoperable standards for scalable and trusted data exchange.

A Liaison Agreement with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) has been announced by The OPC Foundation. This marks an important step forward in the standardisation of Digital Product Passport (DPP) solutions in Europe.*

Through this liaison, the OPC Foundation will actively contribute to the work of CEN/CENELEC JTC 24 – Digital Product Passport – Framework and System, providing technical expertise and input through direct participation in the relevant working groups. The cooperation focuses on aligning data modeling technologies and fostering interoperable, system-agnostic and open-source DPP solutions that scale seamlessly from embedded devices to cloud and enterprise environments.

The collaboration supports the development of interoperable DPP solutions that ensure trusted, semantic rich data exchange, regulatory compliance, and scalable deployments across sector-specific data spaces. By combining the European standardisation framework with OPC UA’s proven interoperability technologies, the liaison contributes to a harmonised and future-proof approach to Digital Product Passports.

Although OPC UA is widely known for secure information transport in automation, its true strength lies in its rich, semantic information modeling capabilities. Through the liaison with CEN/CENELEC JTC 24, OPC UA will be used and extended with standardised Digital Product Passport data models and interfaces, supporting system-agnostic and interoperable DPP implementations.

Commenting on the cooperation, Bmstr. Ing. Otto Handle, Convenor of CEN/CENELEC/JTC 24 WG4 – Digital Product Passport – Interoperability, stated: “One aim of the standardisation work of JTC 24 is interoperability beyond all system borders. The standardisation request of the European Commission clearly states that the DPP shall be system agnostic and vendor independent. Integration and Interoperability with the full DPP system shall be possible for any software and any system according to these standards. Therefore, we highly appreciate and welcome OPC Foundation in the Liaison and look forward to the modelling of DPPs with OPC UA and integration of the specified JTC24 API and data models, as well as shop floor integration with OPC UA-enabled embedded systems as DPP data sources.”

Erich Barnstedt, Microsoft, liaison officer for the OPC Foundation “This liaison ensures that Digital Product Passports (DPPs) are built on truly open, standardised, and interoperable foundations. By contributing the very successful OPC UA modelling capabilities to DPPs, including an open-source reference implementation, we help enable seamless integration of DPP data across vendors, platforms, and system layers. What is remarkable is the timeline in which this was possible: From initial concepts to finished implementation, the OPC Foundation only took 2 weeks.”

The Liaison Agreement is established for an unlimited period, contingent on the OPC Foundation’s continued participation in the work of JTC 24. It reflects a shared ambition to advance open, interoperable, and internationally aligned standards that support the European Union’s digital transformation and sustainability goals.

By working together, CEN, CENELEC, and the OPC Foundation reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that Digital Product Passports are built on robust, open standards — enabling innovation, interoperability, and long-term value across industries.

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* CEN strengthens Digital Product Passport standardisation through cooperation with the OPC Foundation  (CEN-CENELEC)

@OPCFoundation  @Standards4EU #PAuto #Europe

Strengthening Bbuilding automation system integration capabilities in Europe.

Delta Electronics (“Delta”),has announced that it has acquired Delta Controls Germany GmbH through its subsidiary Delta International Holding Limited B.V. (DIH). The transaction strengthens Delta's system integration capabilities, generating significant synergies across sales and service channels for its building automation solution business.

Hong Wu, General Manager of Delta's Building Automation Business Group said, “ Smart buildings and smart cities are pivotal to sustainable development and represent a core strategic focus for our company. With over two decades of deep expertise in building automation business and system integration, Delta Controls Germany has collaborated with us to successfully deliver building automation solutions. With Delta Controls Germany joining, we look forward to creating even more value for our customers through excellent system integration and services.”

“Intelligent buildings play an increasingly important role in today’s market, given their energy-saving potential," said Dusko Lukanic-Simpson, Managing Director of Delta Controls Germany GmbH.  “We have been providing Delta’s building automation offerings to a wide range of industries in Europe through our system integration services and sales channels for years. Through this transaction, we will unlock greater synergies by leveraging the Group’s comprehensive solution portfolio and market resources to better fulfill our customers’ diversified needs.”

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Germany, Delta Controls Germany GmbH specializes in building automation system integration solutions. It maintains partnerships with over 50 system integrators across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, and Portugal. Its strong system integration capability enables the seamless integration of multi-vendor subsystems across HVAC, energy, security, and building management platforms that support a wide range of sectors including commercial offices, public institutions, education, healthcare, industrial facilities, and retail environments.

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@DeltaEMEA @mepaxIntPR #PAuto  #Europe

Sovereign IT.

A strong European alternative to fragmented provider structures and hyperscale cloud models.

Thomas Krenn.AG and SCHÄFER IT Systems have entered into a strategic partnership. The aim of the collaboration is to provide companies and IT service providers in the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland),  with a sovereign, European and economically controllable IT infrastructure. With their joint approach, the two partners are responding to key challenges facing modern IT strategies, such as increasing complexity, escalating performance requirements and the growing desire for independence from global cloud providers.

The cooperation focuses on pooling complementary expertise. SCHÄFER IT Systems contributes its experience with modular IT and data centre infrastructure, while Thomas Krenn.AG complements this with its expertise in the areas of servers, virtualisation and IT operations. Close coordination between the two companies results in an integrated approach with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. For customers and partners, this means fewer interfaces, reduced coordination efforts and significantly greater planning reliability.

Added value through integrated infrastructure.
The collaboration between Thomas Krenn.AG and SCHÄFER IT Systems has resulted in a joint product solution in the form of a coordinated all in one infrastructure platform. This connects central components of modern data centre environments to form a consistent overall system. The joint approach is based on a modular rack concept with direct liquid cooling as well as hybrid air and water cooling, and is designed for high power densities. Infrastructure, servers, virtualisation, monitoring and service are seamlessly integrated. For users, this means significantly simplified planning, faster implementation and stable, cost effective operation.

The cooperation pursues a holistic approach. Instead of isolated individual solutions, the partners are focusing on the coordinated interaction of infrastructure, platforms and services. The aim is to make IT projects easier to plan, minimise risks and reduce complexity throughout the entire life cycle. This positions both company systems as a strong European alternative to fragmented provider structures and hyperscale cloud models.

“This collaboration enables us to create genuine added value for our customers that goes beyond the familiar SCHÄFER solutions and technologies,” explains Thomas Wermke, Division Manager at SCHÄFER IT Systems. “It is about combining IT and infrastructure solutions, thereby making them easier to operate and plan for the long term. With clear responsibilities and a strong European foundation.”

Bernhard Seibold, Vice President of Product Management at Thomas Krenn.AG, also emphasises the strategic dimension: “Many companies today want more independence, transparency and stability in their IT. At the same time, the integrated infrastructure offers customers a solution that combines performance, cost effectiveness and operational reliability in a consistent approach.”

Several target groups benefit from this cooperation. Small and medium sized enterprises gain a reliable basis for setting up and operating modern IT and private cloud structures without having to deal with the complexity of traditional multi vendor projects. System houses and resellers benefit from clearly structured, reproducible solutions that are easier to plan and integrate into existing portfolios. Managed service providers receive a stable platform on which to build scalable service and operating models and strengthen long term customer relationships.

European independence as a business advantage A central element of the partnership is the shared commitment to digital sovereignty. As members of the Verein zur Förderung der IT aus Europa e. V. (Association for the Promotion of IT in Europe), both companies are committed to European value creation, transparency and long term reliability. The cooperation is therefore not only a technical scheme but also a strategic signal for an independent and sustainable European IT landscape.

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@ThomasKrennAG #SCHÄFER #IT#Systems #DACH #Europe

European logistics hub inaugurated.

Having established a European headquarters in Milan, Italy, EMI Solutions (EMIS) has now signed an agreement with the full outsourcing partner LDI Group (holding) and with Interlaziale (part of LDI Group) to hold stock of their products and provide logistics support to EMIS’ customers.

Domenico Gallina, Interlaziale (left) with Alberto Gironi, Sales Manager Europe, EMIS.

EMI Solutions Srl is now positioned to provide sales, technical support, design-in services and sales functions to their growing European customer base. Having their own company and local stock in Italy ensures European customers are supported by a reliable supply chain.

As a manufacturing company based in India, investment in European markets is key to EMIS continuing their successful growth. Being close to their customers is essential as more than 40% of their turnover is from custom designed products. The new agreement with the LDI Logistics Group, located on the outskirts of Milano will improve support for their key markets of Industrial, Machine Control, Power Quality, IT, Robotics, EC-Charger, Smart Building, Defence and Medical applications.

LDI Group will provide third party warehousing via Interlaziale who bring 48 years’ experience, fifteen locations in Italy, three million shipments per year, more than five hundred employees and international certifications including ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO18000. Its central logistics hub is close to the area of greatest industrial production in North Italy and to the largest industrial area in the country.

EMI Solutions has been designing and manufacturing EMI filters for more than 40 years and is a global source for efficient EMC solutions across all industries, applications and the frequency spectrum (50Hz – 40GHz). Products available include EMC Components, Inlet filters, Feedthrough Components, Power Quality, Military Grade Filters and Surge Protection.

The company aims to offer an end-to-end solution to meet industry’s ongoing EMI Challenges. With a robust global supply footprint across eight industry segments, EMIS is continuously investing in technology and skills to deliver its promise of efficiency with seamless customer support. Customers are supported by a very experienced consulting team, a fully equipped Pre-Compliance Lab and a huge safety certified standard product offering of over 2500 part-numbers produced in their own very efficient facility.

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See also: Southern Europe EMC appointment  (10/9/2025)

@proactivefleet #EMIS #PAuto #Electronics #Europe

Ai welding inspection.

SmartRay is showcasing its fully automated JOSY weld inspection system at the EY’s European Industrial AI Innovation Hub* at the Skyloop in Stuttgart (D). The live demonstration features JOSY hardware with Tool Path Generation software created in partnership with Wandelbots and Grid Dynamics. This close-loop workflow can boost efficiency, eliminates manual errors, and reduces scrap for automotive manufacturers.

Visitors discover how they can transform their operations with automated, AI-generated inspection paths directly from CAD. This includes instant feasibility checks and cycle time estimation, faster commissioning and reduced manual programming, and seamless data flow from part design to final production. All with 100% accuracy in fault detection.

Bernd Lorösch, Vice President Business Unit JOSY at SmartRay, commented: “We’re proud to present a perfect example of close loop-controlled production processes in the European Industrial AI Innovation Hub, boosting efficiency of our customers’ processes – by a high level of AI based automation from CAD model until the end of production.”

LtoR: Dr. Adrian Reisch, Industrial AI Leader, EY; Bernd Lorösch, VP Business Unit JOSY, SmartRay; Jan Niklas Mülheims, Senior Consultant, EY; and Henning Steil, Director Business Consulting at launch of the SmartRay in Stuttgart.

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* EY’s Innovation Hub is a dedicated space where industrial companies can experience hands-on AI-driven digital transformation. It brings together real-world demos, immersive collaboration and emerging technologies – from digital wins to robotics. It helps manufacturers rethink their operations, accelerate decision-making, and co-create scalable solutions alongside ecosystem partners and industry experts like SmartRay.

@SmartRay3D @EYnews @AgilityPRS #Testing 

Bringing artificial intellegence into real industrial use.

Europe Union is aiming to develop its own next-generation, home-grown critical technology infrastructure.

Recent outages across global cloud infrastructure have once again served as a reminder of how deeply Europe depends on foreign hyperscalers. When platforms run on AWS or services protected by Cloudflare fail, European factories, logistics hubs, retailers, and public services can stall instantly.

U.S.-based cloud providers currently dominate Europe’s infrastructure landscape. According to market data, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google together control roughly 70% of Europe’s public cloud market. In contrast, all European providers combined account for only about 15%. This share has declined sharply over the past decade. For European enterprises, this means limited leverage over resilience, performance, data governance, and long-term sovereignty.

This same structural dependency is now extending from cloud infrastructure directly into artificial intelligence and its underlying investments. Between 2018 and 2023, U.S. companies attracted more than €120 billion in private Ai investment, while the European Union drew about €32.5 billion over the same period.

In 2024 alone, U.S.-based Ai firms raised roughly $109 billion, more than six times the total private Ai investment in Europe that year. Europe is therefore trying to close the innovation gap while simultaneously tightening regulation, creating a paradox in which calls for digital sovereignty grow louder even as reliance on non-European infrastructure deepens.

The European Union’s Apply Ai Strategy is designed to move Ai out of research environments and into real industrial use, backed by more than one billion euros in funding. However, most of the computing power, cloud platforms, and model infrastructure required to deploy these systems at scale still comes from outside Europe. This creates a structural risk: even as Ai adoption accelerates inside European industry, much of the strategic control over its operation may remain in foreign hands.*

Industrial Ai is Europe’s real monitoring ground.
For any large-scale technology strategy to succeed, it must be tested and refined through real-world deployment, not only shaped at the policy level. The effectiveness of Europe’s Ai push will ultimately depend on how quickly new rules, funding mechanisms, and technical standards translate into working systems, and how fast feedback from practice can inform the next iteration.

Giedrė Rajuncė - GREÏ

This is where industrial environments become especially important. They produce large amounts of real-time data, and the results of Ai use are quickly visible in productivity and cost. As a result, industrial Ai is becoming one of the main testing grounds for Europe’s Ai ambitions. The companies applying Ai in practice will be the first to see what works, what does not, and what needs to be adjusted. 

According to Giedrė Rajuncė, CEO and Co-Founder of GREÏ, an Ai-powered operational intelligence platform for industrial sites, this shift is already visible on the factory floor, where Ai is changing how operations are monitored and optimised in real time

“Ai can now monitor operations in real time, giving companies a new level of visibility into how their processes actually function. I call it a real-time revolution, and it is available at a cost no other technology can match. Instead of relying on expensive automation as the only path to higher effectiveness, companies can now plug Ai-based software into existing cameras and instantly unlock 10 to 30% efficiency gains.”

She adds that Apply Ai reshapes competition beyond technology alone. “Apply Ai is reshaping competition for both talent and capital. European startups are now competing directly with U.S. giants for engineers, researchers, and investors who are increasingly focused on industrial Ai. From our experience, progress rarely starts with a sweeping transformation. It starts with solving one clear operational problem where real-time detection delivers visible impact, builds confidence, and proves return on investment.”

The data confirms both movement and caution. According to Eurostat, 41% of large EU enterprises had adopted at least one Ai-based technology in 2024. At the same time, a global survey by McKinsey & Company shows that 88% of organizations worldwide are already using Ai in at least one business function.

“Yes, the numbers show that Europe is still moving more slowly,” Rajuncė concluded. “But they also show something even more important. The global market will leave us no choice but to accelerate. That means using the opportunities created by the EU’s push for Ai adoption before the gap becomes structural.”

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* See also the European Commission's Shaping Europe’s digital future, and The EU Artificial Intelligence Act (The Future of Life Institute).

@EP_EPRS @DigitalEU @FLI_org #GREI #Automation #Ai

Safety and compliance of 5G wireless devices.

The functions of Anritsu's new Radio RF Conformance Test System ME7873NR have been enhanced to support 5G wireless device conformance tests and compliance with the ETSI* EN 301 908-25 standard under the European Radio Equipment Directive (RED).

By using these enhanced functions, manufacturers can ensure regulatory compliance for 5G wireless devices sold in the EU and guarantee product quality and reliability. Anritsu is dedicated to supporting smooth market entry for products into the EU.

RED is an EU legal framework defining the safety, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), radio-spectrum efficiency, and cybersecurity requirements of wireless devices in the EU. With the spread of wireless technologies, such as 5G, the ETSI EN 301 908-25 standard for 5G NR devices has been established based on 3GPP Release 15 regulating 5G specifications, and wireless products now sold in the EU must comply with this standard.

Through this latest enhancement, Anritsu continues to play a key role in deployment of commercial 5G services, helping create a 5G-empowered society.

Product overview.
The New Radio RF Conformance Test System ME7873NR is a 5G test platform compliant with 3GPP standards and is certified by both the Global Certification Forum (GCF) and PCS Type Certification Review Board (PTCRB).

In addition to supporting Frequency Range 1 (FR1, Sub-6 GHz), combining the system with an OTA (CATR) chamber*2 adds support for Frequency Range 2 (FR2, mmWave). The flexible configuration and customizable design provide an upgrade path from current ME7873LA systems, offering enhanced 5G compatibility at a lower capital cost.

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* ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute. A non-profit organization promoting international standardization of European information and communications technology.

@Anritsu @AnritsuEMEA @ETSI_STANDARDS @NapierPR #Communications  #TandM #EU

Exceptional electronics Distributor in Europe.

The 2024 Full Service Distributor of the Year and 2024 Semiconductor Distributor of the Year awards are a testament to the outstanding partnership between TTI Europe and Vishay, which has resulted in the delivery of top-tier products and services to customers.

Philippe Masson, Senior Director Sales Distribution EMEA (Vishay), Felix Corbett, Director Supplier Marketing (TTI), Annika Schneider, Key Account Manager Sales Distribution (Vishay), Markus Walz,Business Development Manager & Jörg Frödl - Director Product Marketing Europe (TTI)

“TTI Europe’s dedication to providing comprehensive services across our entire portfolio, including semiconductors and passives, has significantly enhanced accessibility and competitiveness,” says Philippe Masson, Senior Director of Sales Distribution at Vishay. “We sincerely thank the entire TTI Europe team for its exceptional support and are thrilled to present them with the 2024 Full Service Distributor of the Year award.”

“Furthermore, TTI Europe’s outstanding achievements in distributing our MOSFETs, diodes, and optoelectronics have been remarkable,” continues Masson. “Their expertise and dedication have greatly contributed to our success, and we are proud to honour them with the 2024 Semiconductor Distributor of the Year award.”

“It is a great honour to receive these two important awards from Vishay,” says Felix Corbett, Director Supplier Marketing Passives & Discretes, TTI IP&E Europe. “The awards recognise the close collaboration and engagement between our two companies in providing best-in-class products and services to our customers.”

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@ttiinc @VishayIndust @Publitek #Electronics #Europe

Keeping an eye on the volcano!

Following the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma in 2021, the National Geographic Institute (Instituto Geográfico Nacional - IGN) has strengthened its system for monitoring volcanic activity on the island with a new gas detection tool.

The FLIR G343 OGI camera, supplied by Apliter Termografía, can identify carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in real time with high accuracy, improving risk assessment capabilities in areas affected by volcanic activity.

The challenge of gas detection in La Palma.
Volcanic activity in La Palma has created a complex situation for environmental surveillance and safety. Although the eruptive phase of the Cumbre Vieja volcano finished at the end of 2021, the emission of gases, such as CO₂, remains a challenge. Since it is a colourless and odourless gas, it can build up in areas that are difficult to access. This creates risks for both the population and the research teams working on the island. The accumulation of CO₂ in low or poorly-ventilated areas displaces oxygen from the air. This can cause dizziness, shortness of breath, disorientation and even loss of consciousness. In volcanic environments, where gas is concentrated in depressions in the ground or enclosed spaces, the risk is even higher.

Deputy Director of IGN & Commercial Director
of Apliter with the FLIR G343

In La Palma, the lack of real-time sensors made it difficult to detect these dangerous areas, which increased the risk of accidental exposure. To improve the surveillance and monitoring of these emissions, IGN needed a solution, such as an OGI thermal imaging camera, that would provide accurate data immediately and enable rapid action.

To address this challenge, Apliter Termografía supplied the FLIR G343, a specialised gas detection device using Optical Gas Imaging (OGI). Unlike traditional methods, which require sample collection and laboratory analysis, this thermal imaging camera can detect gases directly in the field. It provides real-time data that optimises monitoring and reduces exposure to risk areas.

Innovation in volcano monitoring.
Carmen López, the Deputy Director General of Surveillance, Alerts and Geophysical Studies at the National Geophysical Observatory - IGN, highlighted the importance of this new tool, stating that “No volcano observatory has a volcano surveillance tool as powerful as this camera”.

Detection of gas  using the OGI camera.

Apliter Termografía’s commercial director travelled in person to La Palma to deliver the FLIR G343 and demonstrate how it works. During the field tests, IGN researchers saw first-hand how the device can identify areas with a build-up of CO₂, optimise their everyday tasks and improve safety in post-eruption monitoring.

Impact of the thermal imaging camera with optical gas imaging (OGI) on safety and science.
By adopting the FLIR G343, IGN has managed to optimise its ability to respond to post-eruption activity in La Palma. The thermal imaging gas detection camera has not only enhanced researchers’ safety, but also aids real-time decision-making and collection of essential data for scientific studies on the evolution of the phenomenon and its long-term implications.

This success story shows how a combination of advanced technology and specialised knowledge can make a big difference in natural risk management. The collaboration between Apliter Termografía and FLIR reaffirms their commitment to safety, research and development of innovative solutions for high-risk environments.

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@flir @TERMOGRAFIA_ @mepaxIntPR #Environment

High-voltage contactors for Europe.

Deliver safe and reliable switching performance of up to 1500VDC for fast charging and energy storage applications

TTI IP&E – Europe is now stocking the ECP series of high-voltage contactors from TE Connectivity, a world leader in connectors and sensors. The ECP150B, ECP250B, and ECP350B are hermetically sealed and allow bi-directional flow. The ECP series contactors come with a continuous current capacity of up to 500A and a maximum switch voltage of 1500VDC at 1000A in 30ms or less, meeting the safety robustness needs of high-voltage applications, including battery energy storage systems, solar inverters, and EV charging applications.

“The push for higher system voltages to improve power density and enhance efficiency while reducing installation costs continues,” says Dermot Byrne, Industry Marketing Director - Transportation at TTI Europe. “The ECP series contactors with high continuous current carrying capacity can be used in a wide range of applications where fast, safe, and reliable emergency disconnection of high DC voltages is required.”

With a compact form factor, measuring 104mm × 75mm × 108mm, and weighing approximately 1300g, these contactors are easy to handle and integrate into space-constrained designs. They feature a reliable dual coil design that automatically switches to 5W hold status after about 200ms energisation with 50W coil power, which minimises power consumption. The ECP series comes equipped with an auxiliary contact to monitor the power/main contact.

The enhanced insulation distance of the contactors fully meets the DC-1 utilisation category requirements in the UL/IEC60947-4-1 standard. All products within the ECP series are RoHS and ELV compliant with the EU Directives and come with UL, TUV, and CE certifications.

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@ttiinc @TEConnectivity #PAuto #Manufacturing #Transport

EMC solutions provider appointment.

To increase OEM Sales and grow distributor network to reach a larger market.

The appointment of Carola Kristensson as Sales Manager for Central and Northern Europe has been announced by EMIS. Joining the existing team at EMI Solutions AB, the EMIS European office in Stockholm, Carola will be bringing her industrial electronics experience to the company, which is investing heavily in growing their Europe market.

Carola Kristensson

Carola has wide sales experience from the Automation Industry, having previously worked at Siemens/Ruggedcom, Westermo, Phoenix Contact and Omron Electronics, among others. In addition to growing OEM Sales, she will be making strategic additions to their distributor network in order to reach a larger market.

EMI Solutions has been designing and manufacturing EMI filters for more than 40 years and is a global source for efficient EMI and EMC solutions across all industries, applications and the frequency spectrum. Products available include EMI/EMC Components, Feedthrough Components, Power Quality, Military Grade Filters and Surge Protection. 

The company aims to offer an end-to-end solution to meet industry’s ongoing EMI Challenges. With a robust global supply footprint across eight industry segments, EMIS is continuously investing in technology and skills to deliver its promise of efficiency with seamless customer support. Customers are supported by a very experienced consulting team, a fully equipped Pre-Compliance Lab and a huge safety certified standard product offering of over 2500 part-numbers produced in their own very efficient facility.

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 @proactivefleet #EMIS #PAuto #Electronics #Europe

Flash and test partnership.

JOT Automation has announced a new strategic partnership with ProMik GmbH, aimed at supporting the electronics manufacturing market with new and innovative testing solutions, and reinforcing the positions of both companies in the European and U.S. markets.

ProMik specialises in flash programming and testing of electronic components, PCBAs and electronic products, brings their industry-leading applications and technologies to supplement JOT Automation’s state-of-the-art solutions, such as the M Test Boxes. Together, JOT and ProMik are pushing the standards for electronics testing and flashing in particular.

"We are very thrilled to join forces with ProMik to develop and bring to market the technologies and innovation together. Integrating ProMik’s flash programming solutions to our M Test Boxes is creating some of the quickest, well-rounded and cost-efficient test solutions – in-line or stand-alone – on the market for electronics manufacturers across the globe," said Mika Puttonen, Product Manager at JOT Automation.

Alexander Rosenberger, CTO at ProMik, holds out the prospect: "By integrating ProMik’s cutting-edge flash programming technology with JOT’s state-of-the-art automation solutions, we are perfectly positioned to address the growing complexities and demands of future ECU production. Together, we offer an ideal partnership, providing a comprehensive solution that meets the evolving needs of the industry."

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@PresseBox #JOTAutomation #ProMik #TandM

Digital centre to help manufacturers' improvements.

Interactive learning environment shows how advanced automation solutions deliver actionable insights to accelerate operational performance improvements

Emerson has launched its Digital Experience Centre – an interactive training environment showcasing the company’s extensive range of advanced automation solutions. Manufacturers and process industry users visiting the Centre – located within Emerson’s manufacturing facility in Ede (NL) – can gain hands-on experience with transformative digital technologies and learn how they provide actionable insights, helping to achieve improvements in relation to safety, productivity, reliability and sustainability.

Emerson has an industry-leading portfolio of automation solutions for digitising operations and processes across a broad range of industries. The new Centre hosts live demonstrations of many of these technologies, including the DeltaV™ Distributed Control System operating a diverse range of industrial measurement and control applications. These modern, advanced technologies are helping bring Emerson’s Boundless Automation™ vision for a next generation architecture.

Boundless Automation aims to liberate siloed data, eliminate operational blind spots, and unleash the power of analytics software to help identify opportunities for accelerating plant performance improvements. This begins with an intelligent field, utilising advanced sensors and devices along with innovative connectivity solutions such as Bluetooth®, WirelessHART® and 5G that seamlessly transmit data from a broad range of measurement applications. The Centre highlights various examples of these applications, including:

• Non-intrusive wireless corrosion detection systems that enable safer, more profitable operations by continuously monitoring for pipework metal loss.
• Wireless acoustic measurement sensors that help to reduce energy usage and emissions by detecting leaks from steam traps or pressure relief valves.
• Sensors that increase safety by monitoring the condition of highly reactive and flammable chemicals in portable storage totes.

The Digital Experience Centre complements the existing flow training Centre at the Ede facility and utilises an operational flow loop that simulates real world applications in a live but safe environment. Visitors will learn how to reduce the complexity, time and cost of integrating additional sensors without impacting their existing control system architectures, using software deployed on edge PCs or in the cloud.

Opening the Digital Experience Center (left to right): Guido Wink, Vice President Europe Systems, Marlies Kock, General Manager Benelux, Phil Bond, Vice President Europe Measurement Solutions, Phillipp Strauch, Vice President & General Manager DACH.

“Our new Digital Experience Centre is a world-class facility offering a hands-on interactive environment that can simulate real-world manufacturing conditions,” said Phillip Bond, vice president of Emerson’s measurement business in Europe. “The Centre facilitates learning, experimentation and simulation, enabling manufacturers and process industry users to discover how our latest digital solutions deliver greater visibility into multiple aspects of their process, helping them to identify significant performance gains.”

The Digital Experience Centre supports Emerson’s goal to drive performance improvements through the implementation of advanced automation technologies and digital transformation strategies. This aspiration is central to the company’s sponsorship of the forthcoming NAMUR Annual General Meeting in Neuss, Germany, where Emerson experts will explain to industry leaders how modern automation solutions empower companies to optimise their production facilities.

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@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #Europe #Training

Test equipment for rent throughout Europe.

Specialist test & measurement equipment for data centres and RAN/Mobile applications

The European expansion of Electro Rent's strategic distribution agreement with EXFO, the communications industry’s test, monitoring and analytics experts, has been announced. This new agreement enhances the existing collaboration between EXFO and Electro Rent by adding European distribution to an already robust rental and certified pre-owned (CPO) portfolio.

"At Electro Rent, 5G and data centres are areas of strategic focus. With that in mind, this new agreement with EXFO is a tremendous win for our customers. EXFO is a wonderful partner to work with, they address the heart of these strategic markets for us, and this distribution agreement allows us to better help our customers navigate stormy financial seas." said Stijn Sallaerts, Vice President of Product Group at Electro Rent.

This new distribution agreement offers Electro Rent customers the convenience of selecting the acquisition method that best fits their requirements. Now, Electro Rent customers can acquire the EXFO equipment they need via purchase, lease, or rental. Rental, lease and pre-owned options help customers better preserve precious CapEX by providing the opportunity to gain access to needed instruments with OpEX funds.

Gavin Lessing-Caller, Senior Vice President Global Sales and Marketing at Electro Rent, said, “This new distribution agreement combines EXFO’s technical expertise and product breadth with Electro Rent’s speed, convenience, and fast shipping thanks to our two European warehouses and logistic hubs.”

“The expanded distribution agreement further strengthens the longstanding and successful collaboration with Electro Rent, and extends the reach of EXFO’s industry-leading solutions for data centre and mobile environments across the Europe regions," said Wim te Niet, Vice President EMEA at EXFO

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@ElectroRentEMEA @EXFO @mepaxIntPR #Automation #TandM #Europe

Regional Distributor of the Year award for Northern Europe.

The British team of TTi Europe has won the 'European Regional Distributor of the Year 2023 – Northern Europe' award from Molex. This accolade recognises the valued commitment TTI Europe makes to Molex customers across Northern Europe, contributing significantly towards shared growth.

L to R: Darrell Gibbs, Outside Sales Manager,
Stephen Radford, Branch Product Manager &
Helen Thurston, General Manager Sales
Great Britain, TTI, Inc. – Europe

“We are pleased to present TTI UK with this award in recognition of their commitment to our demand creation efforts,” says Paul Keenan, Director of Distribution, Europe at Molex.

“Congratulations to the entire team for their continued engagement across the region. We are incredibly honoured to win this coveted award from Molex,” says John Islam, Manager Supplier Development – Product Marketing at TTI Europe. “The teams from Molex and TTI UK have worked closely together and I would like to thank them for their collaboration. We have continually invested in Molex’s inventory; as a result, we have the widest and deepest portfolio in the channel, with the newest products available. This is backed by local sales and technical support, meaning we can offer the best solutions to customers.”

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@ttiinc @MolexConnectors @Publitek #Energy #PAuto