Optima has taken a major step towards becoming a digitalised company. The Optima Digital Innovation Centre is now up and running. The Optima Group's central digitalisation centre is available to all areas of the company and brings digital products to life. The centre sets new standards in the region in terms of functionality, state-of-the-art technology and visitor friendliness.
Interpack, the packaging industry's leading trade fair, would have taken place from 7 to 13 May, but like all major events, it had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. At Optima, however, many steps were taken in advance to create a unique experience for future visitors to Schwäbisch Hall even after the trade fair. In mid-March, the new Additive Innovation Center was unveiled at the Steinbeisweg site - a development centre for parts production using 3D printing technologies.
The Digital Innovation Centre in the Solpark industrial park in Schwäbisch Hall-Hessental started operations at the end of April, without an opening event due to the coronavirus pandemic. Similar to the Additive Innovation Centre, which is advancing 3D printing technology, the The Digital Innovation Centre will assume an important central function within the Optima Group as a think tank and in the further development and presentation of digital solutions.
Customer experience is the focus of the Optima Innovation Centre
In addition to the presentation of digital technologies and applications relating to Augmented and virtual reality become Optima's own Smart Services presented there. The new showroom will make digitalisation tangible for customers and visitors. Webinars for customers will also be held there in future.
„Our aim is to offer our customers around the world the opportunity to experience Optima's digital products directly and immediately.“ Joachim Dittrich, Chief Representative of the Optima Consumer Division.
Optima employees, customers and partners now have the opportunity to see and get to know, experience and test Optima's new solutions on their individual path to becoming a digitalised company. Knowledge can be imparted and deepened.
Digital support throughout the entire machine life cycle
Digital products and services will be presented in the innovation and exhibition area. The so-called Smart Services, which have been developed at Optima in recent years, are part of the holistic Optima Total Care life cycle management programme. The Smart Services effectively complement the so-called Basic Services, i.e. the conventional services such as installation, calibration, spare parts service, training and retrofits. The digital services provide support in all phases of the machine life cycle - from planning and commissioning through to retrofitting. For example, the system can be visualised digitally and three-dimensionally on a virtual screen right at the start of a project during the design review, i.e. when the design is first checked. If desired, customers can experience the system up close using virtual reality goggles. This allows corrections to be made at an early stage.
Support with augmented reality technology
Customers also receive digital support on all conceivable end devices, including augmented reality glasses, when rectifying problems in production or changing formats. These and many other smart services are available to customers around the clock via a centralised, user-friendly Optima platform. The permanent availability makes agile and digital working on the machine a reality. All products can be tested in the new centre.
„The Digital Innovation Centre was deliberately designed so that visits - whether a customer's first visit, during the planning of a project or after commissioning - are geared towards the customer's needs,“ explains Holger Frey, who heads the Smart Services team based there. The showroom can be customised for each customer visit within a few minutes.
First co-working space in the region in the same building
„Collaboration has become even more important since the coronavirus crisis. We are therefore delighted that the first co-working space in the Schwäbisch Hall region is also located in the same building. For example, we share the foyer and therefore also the lounge with these new neighbours. Freelancers and small start-ups develop new ideas in the so-called ‘hallo SPACE“ and we look forward to an inspiring neighbourhood." Holger Frey, Smart Services Team Optima.
The new Optima Digital Innovation Centre is located at Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 77 in the Solpark industrial estate in Schwäbisch Hall-Hessental.
Source: Optima Packaging Group
