Manufacturing SMEs rely on IIoT platform from thyssenkrupp Materials Services for digitalization

• GGK – a leading, medium-sized specialist – relies on toii® for digitalization, networking and optimization of the production of plastic cable routing systems

• Family-lead company Steel Service Krefeld digitalizes analog machines for processing steel materials with toii®.Lights

• IoT platform shows its flexibility and scalability with variable business models

The specially developed thyssenkrupp Materials IoT toii® platform is proving its flexibility in use by customers: GGK and Steel Service Krefeld are digitizing their machinery and networking their production with the help of the IoT platform. The IoT platform is ideal for the digitalization of industrial processes – it can be implemented at a low level, is expandable and scalable. It can be utilized as the first stage of digitalization in traditional industry with the option of expansion, as well as digitizing and networking the entire machine park.

"We are delighted that toii® is being used by two new external customers with very different requirements," explains Sebastian Lang, Managing Director of thyssenkrupp Materials IoT. "In this way, our IoT platform demonstrates the full range of its capabilities: It is both an enabler of digital transformation in classic machinery and a scalable complete solution for networking the value chain in the digital factory."

GGK, a subsidiary of the Grün group of companies, relies on the toii® platform developed by thyssenkrupp Materials IoT to extensively network its production. This will enable more efficient, automated processes in internal value creation with assured quality. thyssenkrupp Materials IoT has been advising the "hidden champion" on the digitalization of its production since 2019. As a leading specialist, GGK manufactures plastic cable routing systems for surface-mounted electrical installations and produces over 3,000 different products at its Greifenstein site in Hessen, Germany, which are sold in 28 countries. "Making new electrics possible!" is the mission of all the "Möglichmacher" at GGK. From the successful implementation of the toii® IoT platform, we expect significant performance increases and a comprehensive optimization of production control," says GGK Managing Director Eckhard Müller. "We attest to the project managers at thyssenkrupp Materials IoT real enabler qualities."

Steel Service Krefeld is introducing toii®.Lights to digitally network analog machines and collect data for further processing. This means that the production status of all machines can be viewed at any time, and operating and maintenance times can be optimized. Steel Service Krefeld sells machines, tool steel and metal powder for additive manufacturing. The family-lead business with locations in Germany, the UK, the USA and Canada is a pioneer of Industry 4.0. For example, information from goods receipt to picking is digitally recorded in the in-house ERP in Krefeld and is available in real time in the online store.

The Manfuctaring Execution System IIoT platform toii®

toii® enables manufacturing companies to carry out planned production highly efficiently, transparently and in-time. In doing so, toii® takes over production and intralogistics management. Machines and tools of different generations and manufacturers can be digitized and networked with each other. The application is also characterized by its ability to extract data from machines that are not IoT-ready. toii® was developed completely in-house by experts from production and software development and can be used universally as a product-ready, state-of-the-art solution. toii® is now active at over 33 locations, has connected over 500 machines and 3,000 users.  

Driving forward the strategic development of Materials Services

thyssenkrupp Materials IoT GmbH was founded in September 2019 as a spin-off from thyssenkrupp Materials Services. As part of the strategic further development of "Materials as a Service" the materials distributor and service provider is systematically expanding its supply chain service business. This includes the development of innovative, data-driven business models such as toii®. thyssenkrupp Materials IoT supports its customers on their way to Industry 4.0 throughout the entire process: from consulting and implementation of IIoT technologies to support throughout the lifecycle of the solutions and operation of the underlying platform.