Together to supply MES systems for industry 4.0

Effective immediately, Engel, the injection moulding machine manufacturer based in Schwertberg, Austria, is taking over the MES provider TIG, Technische Informationssysteme GmbH, in Rankweil, Austria. With this investment, Engel is consolidating its position as a leader in the area of manufacturing execution systems (MES) for the injection moulding industry, thereby achieving another milestone in its industry 4.0 strategy.

Engel and TIG have been closely cooperating in the area of MES solutions for many years. Among other things, e-factory, Engel's own MES, is based on the development efforts of TIG. e-factory makes Engel one of the few injection moulding machine manufacturers in the world who can offer its customers a proprietary MES that has been precisely tailored to the requirements of the injection moulding industry. "e-factory is an essential component of our inject 4.0 program, with which we support our customers in the digitalisation of their manufacturing processes," says Peter Neumann, CEO of the Engel Group. "This is why our investment in TIG is strategically significant. Together, we can respond in an even more targeted fashion to the often very individualised requirements of our customers, thereby adding greater value for the customer, and strengthening the competitive ability of both companies".

TIG developed its first MES for the plastics industry back in 1994, which makes it a pioneer in this area, just as Engel is a pioneer in building injection moulding machines, as well as in the automation and integration of injection moulding processes. Together, Engel and TIG understand the interconnection of injection moulding processes at a deeper level than any other provider in the market. "We have ambitious plans together. The digitalisation of manufacturing processes in the plastics industry is rapidly gaining in importance," states Stefan Engleder, Engel's CTO. "I am looking forward to even more intense collaboration with the TIG team".

Under the umbrella of the Engel Group, TIG will be managed as an independent subsidiary. The two MES solutions, e-factory by Enegel and authentig by TIG, will continue to be offered independently, as stand-alone solutions, and development will continue on both. With Engel as a strategic investor, TIG can pursue the evolution of authentig more intensively, while keeping the MES independent and interface-agnostic. "TIG has an excellent name in the industry, and leads the market in MES solutions for the injection moulding industry. That is why, looking ahead, it is also important to us that TIG remains independent”, says Engleder.