Sustainability, resilience and human-centric development are the core principles underpinning Industry 5.0, also known as the fifth industrial revolution. This concept is core to the European Green Deal and countries like Italy are already adopting it into legislation. Reinaldo Stuart Junior, Director at WEG Automation Europe, illustrates why WEG puts electric motor-driven systems at the forefront of this transition.
Global crises like climate change, pandemics and geopolitical instability call for a radical rethink of industrial processes and supply chains. Building more sustainable and resilient production systems has never been so critical. These goals are central to the definition of Industry 5.0: an expansion of the concept of Industry 4.0 aimed at today’s global challenges.
Italy has already adopted dedicated Industry 5.0 legislation in the form of incentives to help manufacturing companies adopt more sustainable and resilient production systems. Other European countries will likely follow suit.
To be successful, the Industry 5.0 transition must begin from the backbone of most industrial processes: electric motor-driven systems. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), these systems are responsible for 53 per cent of global electricity consumption. But, thanks to new technologies, we can help reduce this significant energy demand while making production lines more resilient. WEG’s recent expansion in Europe supports this strategy.
A holistic motion solution for Industry 5.0
WEG has been a world leader in electric motor technology for decades. Yet, the company’s expertise now extends well beyond motors and drives. The recent creation of the WEG Automation Europe business unit is a testament to this.
The creation of the business unit in 2023 was a strategic step for WEG, enabling the company to develop a strong industrial base for automation and industrial electronics for European customers. This expansion is core to WEG’s holistic approach to motion embodied by the WEG Motion Drives package.
WEG’s integrated approach centres on a complete smart solution bringing together motor, gearbox, drive and automation components in a single package. The WEG Motion Drives concept focuses on customised solutions for strategic industries like plastics, metal, paper, recycling and mining. Companies across these industries can achieve maximum energy efficiency and reliability, boosting sustainability and resilience on their path to Industry 5.0.
WEG’s technologies also support the “human-centricity” goal at the heart of Industry 5.0. WEG’s automation solutions empower engineers to make data-driven decisions to minimise energy consumption and maintenance, reducing carbon emissions while improving uptime. This smart approach makes engineers’ lives easier while enabling them to be at the forefront of sustainability and resilience.
Expanding our automation capability
Demand for automation and digitalisation will continue to grow in years to come. WEG will meet this demand by constantly expanding its industrial automation range. The company will also strengthen connectivity and the ability to gather and analyse data to enhance the user experience, increase machine uptime and maximise energy efficiency.
This year, WEG will enrich its WEG Motion Drives offering with new lift drives with two additional frame sizes (three and four) and new AC/DC converters, as well as continuing to invest in R&D efforts to advance technologies.
Making WEG Motion Drives global
The strengthened presence of WEG in Europe now enables the organisation to forge synergies with WEG sales branches around the world. The transition to Industry 5.0 must be a global effort, and the Motion Drives concept is no exception. To achieve this goal, WEG will continue to invest in new products and added production capacity.
Since the creation of WEG Automation Europe, WEG has already stepped up its production and warehousing capacity. This investment has enabled the company to reduce lead times significantly, providing customers across Europe with faster delivery times.
A proven commitment to sustainability
WEG’s long-standing focus on energy efficiency demonstrates how the company is a pioneer in sustainability. Its commitment isn’t limited to helping customers reduce their environmental footprint, but the integrated Motion Drives concept is also applied across WEG’s own factories to minimise energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
In recent years, WEG has ramped up efforts beyond energy efficiency to further our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) credentials.
In 2023, WEG was awarded the GOLD seal by EcoVadis, one of the most authoritative sustainability rating agencies worldwide. EcoVadis evaluates companies’ commitments, practices, indicators, and progress in all ESG areas. The GOLD seal places WEG in the top 5 percent of companies, demonstrating our commitment to a more sustainable and resilient world.
Towards a sustainable and resilient future
The global crises we face require a global response. Companies across industries must lead the way in the transition to more sustainable and resilient production systems. Electric-motor driven systems combined with automation and connectivity empower companies to take energy efficiency and reliability to the next level.
Thanks to its expanded automation capability, WEG is ideally placed to support companies on their path to Industry 5.0.
To learn more about WEG Motion Drives visit the dedicated product page.
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