"B&R employees love a good challenge"

Jörg Theis has been CEO of B&R since April 1st, 2021. In this interview, the 51-year-old reveals what fascinates him about his employees, where he sees the company five years from now, and what other ABB divisions might learn from B&R.

Jörg Theis: It was more than twenty years ago. I was working for a large automation supplier at the time, and it didn't take long for me to catch on that there was a competitor in Austria with a certain advantage over others in the industry: employees with a unique passion.

Theis: B&R employees love a good challenge. When others are ready to throw in the towel and say "it just can't be done" – that's when B&R people's eyes light up, and they roll up their sleeves and say "watch me". We know our technology is ready to handle whatever we ask of it, and we're driven to tackle customer requirements that may not seem feasible at first glance. It's a cheeky attitude that fascinated me back then. And now that I get to experience it firsthand every day, I find it extremely inspiring.

Theis: Absolutely. I was received with open arms, and I feel right at home. That's really important to me: It's not a healthy sign for a company if the CEO doesn't feel like a part of the whole.

Theis: The B&R brand stands strong on the market and the company is in a great position. So there's no reason to go fixing things that aren't broken. In cases where it makes sense, we will take internal processes and structures that have proven themselves at ABB and apply them here – that's something that has already begun over the past few years. For example, we've created a department to handle health, safety and environmental issues. These are topics that have always been important at B&R, and with a whole department behind them they will get even more attention.

Theis: I don't necessarily see it as a one-way street – the benefits can definitely be mutual. I actually consider that one of my most important responsibilities: to build a bridge between a large multinational corporation like ABB and a mid-sized company like B&R.

Theis: I try to combine the best of both worlds. Look at ABB: A huge multinational with employees in nearly every country on Earth who are familiar with the local industries and cultures. That makes it a lot easier for B&R to gain a foothold in new markets and countries. On the other hand, you have B&R's agility and customer-focus – that's the DNA of the company and something I certainly aim to protect and uphold. These happen to be areas where other ABB divisions could learn something from B&R as well. And then there are areas where we intersect at a product level and can work together on joint solutions. Machine-Centric Robotics is a perfect example of that.

Theis: Of the many topics, there are two that stand out: One is the strategic development of the company, and the other is the component shortage. The current situation on the electronic component market is causing delays in our ability to fulfill some orders. It's painful for me to see that, and we're doing all we can to mitigate the impact of the shortage on our customers.

Theis: My goal is for B&R to be known worldwide as a top player in the automation industry. What I would like to see in five years is that, whenever a company – anywhere in the world – is looking to automate a machine or plant, they have B&R high on their short list every time. So what we're doing right now is evaluating what steps it will take to get us there. The way I see it, one of the keys will be staying on the front lines of the digital transformation. That's an area where we'll be making some serious investments in the coming years.

Theis: Our headquarters in Eggelsberg are, quite literally, set in stone. Particularly the closeness between R&D and production is a clear advantage for the location. At the same time, we will become more global and will no longer be concentrating all of our know-how there. We've already begun the process of making many of our teams more international. We're maintaining the first development teams in other countries, and our product management team is no longer centered in Eggelsberg. With Luca Galluzzi as our CSO, we even have a member of executive management stationed outside Austria. Thanks to the opportunities for online collaboration we have today, these arrangements work very naturally. And our customers gain from it too, because we're always able to put the best person on the job, regardless of where they're sitting. It's a strategy we will continue going forward.

Theis: Definitely. Over the past few months, several hundred employees have already moved into the campus, and we're currently looking to add another 200 employees in Eggelsberg alone. But the Automation Campus is much more than just a building complex full of offices, laboratories and training facilities: it is also the place where we come together with our customers and partners to shape the future of manufacturing.

Theis: Sure, what I mean is this: Machines are growing more complex by the day, and their role in the production line is increasingly intertwined with other machines and higher-level systems they need to communicate and interact with. A lone machine builder working in isolation hardly stands a chance of meeting all these requirements. That's why, as an automation partner, we find ourselves more and more often sitting around a table with machine builders and plant operators to develop concepts for how to orchestrate the production process. Intelligent transport systems like ACOPOS 6D and ACOPOStrak play a central role in many of these concepts, because they enable seamless transitions between previously isolated processes.

Theis: We will of course continue to expand and develop our renowned training academy. Talks are also underway to host events for associations, partners and research institutions. These are steps that take us towards the goal of establishing Eggelsberg and B&R as an international hub for automation technology – so that we can continue to provide our customers the very best automation the world has to offer.