Pilz, a leading global automation technology company, has today opened a new €7.4 million software development centre in Cork, Ireland. The opening of this state-of-the-art facility coincides with the 20^th anniversary of the company’s presence in Ireland.

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 on Model Farm Road, Cork.

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 today welcomes 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.

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* – 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.”

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.

-ENDS-

For further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact

Maria Tracey, Springboard PR & Marketing

maria@springboardcommunications.ie

083 191 7314. 021 496 9000

Susie Horgan, Springboard PR & Marketing

susie@springboardcommunications.ie

086 271 8163, 021 496 9000

Notes to editor

About Pilz Ireland:

Located in Cork, Pilz Ireland is home to the Pilz Group Software Development centre. Since 1998, the tools used by customers and Pilz Global are conceived and developed in Cork. Co-located in the Cork campus are other group functions of Global Account Management and the International Services Group (ISG), which supports Pilz companies and their customers all over the world with consulting and engineering services. The Pilz Ireland industrial Automation division, also located on the campus, serves its Irish customer base with the components and systems. This division also provides project management and automation engineering services, specialist machinery and process automation safety services as well as training in the field of automation safety. Pilz Ireland employs 150 people.

About Pilz Group:

Pilz is an innovative automation technology company operating internationally. Pilz uses its solutions to create safety for man, machine and the environment. In addition to the head office in Ostfildern near Stuttgart in Germany, the family business is represented with over 2,200 staff in 40 subsidiaries and branches on all continents. The company’s products include sensor technology, electronic monitoring relays, safety relays, configurable and programmable control systems, automation solutions with motion control, systems for industrial communication as well as visualisation solutions and operator terminals. Pilz solutions can be used in all areas of mechanical engineering, including the packaging and automotive industry, plus the railway technology, press and wind energy sector. Pilz also provides a comprehensive range of services worldwide, including safety advice, engineering, product training and seminars on the subject of machinery safety.

*According to the International Data Corporation https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS42209117

** Open Platform Communications (OPC) is the interoperability standard for the secure and reliable exchange of data in the industrial automation space and other industries. The OPC Foundation is responsible for the development and maintenance of this standard. This platform is critical to establishing the interconnectivity required in I4.0 systems. https://opcfoundation.org/about/what-is-opc/