TRUMPF opens smart factory in Chicago
New technology center showcases the interaction between people, machines, storage technology, automation, software and Industry 4.0 solutions // TRUMPF Group expands its U.S. presence in strategically important region // Around 250 guests attend official opening

Ditzingen/Chicago; September 12, 2017 – The leading machine tool manufacturer and Industry 4.0 pioneer TRUMPF has opened a new technology center in Chicago. It is the first smart factory for Industry 4.0 solutions that was designed for digitally connected production processes throughout. Investments for the facility, which covers more than 50,000 square feet, totaled 13 million euros in construction investment and 13 million euros in equipment investment. This smart factory will focus on consulting and training its customers as they introduce digitally connected production solutions. To this end, the company designed a factory that intelligently connects the entire sheet metal process chain – from the initial order for a sheet metal component to its design, manufacture and delivery. 
Chicago is at the center of the North American market for sheet metal processing. Some 40 percent of the entire sheet metal processing industry is based in directly neighboring states. “For us, America is one of the most important markets there is. And in Chicago, we can present our vision for connected production to our customers in the Midwest practically at their doorstep – and work with them to drive forward connected production in the Industry 4.0 era,” said Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller, Chief Executive Officer of the TRUMPF Group, at the opening of the smart factory before 250 invited guests. 
The TRUMPF smart factory boasts custom-designed architecture: The control room and its large screens provide visitors with real-time process performance data for the current production process. A production hall 55 meters in length houses a connected sheet metal manufacturing line, the centerpiece of which is a high storage bay that supplies materials to the machine tools connected to it. A skywalk spans the production hall, offering a bird’s-eye view of the factory and enabling those who stand on it to comprehend the production systems as well as their material and information flows as a whole. It is part of the self-supporting steel ceiling structure that was manufactured by one of TRUMPF’s customers in Atlanta. The showroom was designed by Berlin-based architecture firm Barkow Leibinger.
TRUMPF increased its sales in the American market by 14 percent in the past fiscal year, to 421 million euros – making the U.S. the company’s second-largest market after Germany. The company plans to continue expanding in this market over the long term. Opening the smart factory in Chicago was a key milestone in this endeavor. In this regard, Leibinger-Kammüller warned against protectionist tendencies: “Our industry needs free markets like people need air to breathe. Free and fair trade as well as the exchange of specialists and talented individuals are the only way to improve the standard of living for all people – whether in the U.S., in Germany or elsewhere in the world.”

Digital photographs in print-ready resolution are available to illustrate this press release. They may only be used for editorial purposes. Use is free of charge when credit is given as “Photo: TRUMPF”. Graphic editing – except for dropping out the main motive – is prohibited. Additional photos can be accessed on the company website: www.trumpf.com/en/press/media-services 

		TRUMPF Smart Factory
Chicago was consciously chosen as the location for the Smart Factory of TRUMPF. The directly adjacent states contain around 40 percent of the country’s entire sheet metal working industry.	
			
		Smart Factory Exterior
The focus of the Smart Factory is to advise and train customers on the introduction of digitally connected production solutions.

		Control Room
The “Control Room” - a command center with large display areas – makes various process parameters available to visitors in real time.

		Skywalk
A bird’s-eye view of the factory reveals a catwalk, the so-called “Skywalk”: Spanning the full length of the 55-meter-long hall, with its material and information flow, it emphasizes the fact that the production facilities constitute a single, overall system.

		Production hall
In a production hall measuring 55 meters in length, there is a connected sheet metal production with a central storage system as the centerpiece, which supplies the machine tools with material.

		Dr. Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller 
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), President of the Managing Board of TRUMPF GmbH + Co. KG; Labor director
Responsible for strategic development, corporate communication, brand management, corporate real estate management and sustainable business, legal affairs, M&A and personnel.

		Dr. Mathias Kammüller
Chief Digital Officer (CDO), Managing Director of TRUMPF GmbH + Co. KG 
Responsible for digital transformation, digital business solutions, business information services, production, quality and process management

		Peter Hoecklin
President and CEO of TRUMPF Inc.	

About TRUMPF
The high-technology company TRUMPF offers production solutions in the machine tool and laser sectors. It is driving digital connectivity in manufacturing industry through consulting, platform and software offers. TRUMPF is the world technological and market leader for machine tools used in flexible sheet metal processing, and also for industrial lasers.
In 2016/17, the TRUMPF Group – which has about 12,000 employees – achieved sales of 3.1 billion euros. With over 70 subsidiaries, it is represented in nearly all the countries of Europe, North and South America, and Asia. It has production facilities in Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, the U.S., Mexico, China and Japan.

For more information about TRUMPF go to: www.trumpf.com/s/mediaservice

Press contact:
Heidi-Melanie Maier
Spokesperson, Head of Corporate Communications
+49 7156 303-31720
heidi.maier@de.TRUMPF.com