Automation systems facility in Cork expands.

A new €7.4 million software development centre in Cork (IRL) has been opened by Pilz. The opening of this state-of-the-art facility coincides with the 20th anniversary of the company’s presence in Ireland.

Renate Pilz, Past-President of Pilz

The new three storey 2,500 sq m facility is located next to the existing Pilz Ireland building and doubles the capacity of the overall Pilz campus in the Cork Business and Technology Park.

Set to be a global centre of excellence, it will immediately house 125 employees in the Software Product Research and Development Division. The company is actively recruiting, with 70 new jobs in total planned by 2023. This will bring total employment across the Pilz Ireland campus to 220, as Pilz implements its 2025 vision. The 2025 vision is to cement Pilz as a global provider of products, systems and services in all aspects of automation, driving the smart factories of the fourth industrial revolution.

The engineering tools used to plan, design, program and visualise Pilz automation control systems globally are conceived and developed in Cork. The investment in this new centre will allow Pilz to expand its current portfolio of automation systems, while developing their technologies around Internet of Things (IoT), analytics and new Software as a Service (SaaS) applications.

Pilz Ireland welcomed An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney TD, local business and industry leaders, and academics from University College Cork and Cork Institute of Technology. Demonstrations at the event included Pilz safe automation systems. Also showcased were some of the company’s disruptive technological breakthroughs related to automation in the cloud, human-robot collaboration, and the use of Augmented Reality in both training and the development and support of automated systems.

Thomas Pilz, Managing Partner of Pilz, Renate Pilz, Retired President of Pilz and Susanne Kunschert, Managing Partner of Pilz.

Speaking at the official opening, Thomas Pilz, Managing Partner of Pilz, said: “Pilz is committed to remaining at the forefront of innovation, and this new centre at our Irish operation showcases that vision. Coupled with the milestone of 20 years of Pilz in Ireland, today marks a new step for the company in Cork as we scale and grow.”

John McAuliffe, Managing Director of Pilz Ireland and Vice President of Pilz International Services Group, added: “The cutting-edge technology in our new facility will allow the company to not only respond to the new challenges facing the global manufacturing industry but also to innovate and grow, building on our existing reputation as IoT pioneers in safe automation. Global spending on IoT is set to reach $1.29 trillion by 2020 (IDC Report) - but this is dependent on the implementation of clear Industry 4.0 strategies.

“Pilz is a member of the demonstration and research platform SmartFactoryKL and is, as a member of OPC Foundation, actively involved in formulating uniform standards for Industry 4.0. Our systems ensure workers, plants and machinery stay connected, productive and safe. This is becoming more critical as levels of automation increase to achieve agility and productivity in manufacturing.”

LtoR: John McAuliffe, Managing Director of Pilz Ireland, Simon Coveney T.D. Tánaiste & Minister for Foreign Affairs (Irl), Susan O’Connell, Vice President of Software Development at Pilz and Jose Fernandez also of Pilz.

Commenting on the event, An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney TD said: “It is fantastic to see a company such as Pilz committed to Cork, and taking their investment to the next level. The success of Pilz is a testament to the opportunities for growth in Cork and the surrounding region.”

Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland, commented: “IDA Ireland has worked closely with Pilz over the last 20 years and I would like to sincerely congratulate the entire team on this milestone today. Pilz is a progressive, forward-looking company, and this state of the art new centre will futureproof the company as it develops its next generation intelligent software.”

With custom-built office space and new laboratory facilities, the Cork campus of connected facilities will now house three Pilz Group activities: Software Product Research and Development, International Services Group and the Global Account Management team. The Pilz International Services Group develops innovative safety engineering services and training for delivery world-wide by Pilz group companies. The campus is also home to Pilz Ireland Industrial Automation, serving the Irish market with Pilz Automation Systems and Engineering Services. Pilz Ireland has significant customers in the food and beverage, medical device and pharmaceutical sectors, among others.

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