The vision: a data-driven factory of the future.

From factory planning and production to logistics and enterprise architecture, the experts of the Datenfabrik.NRW collect and utilize data, thereby ensuring more efficient and productive machines and processes.

The factory of the future becomes reality at the production sites of CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH at the Harsewinkel plant and Schmitz Cargobull AG at the Vreden plant. As lighthouse factories, they illustrate to other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) the added value of new methods and technologies in production, such as data-based work scheduling, production planning and control, and freight bundling for inbound logistics.

In the process, forward-looking technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence or virtual modeling are used - and show other companies the way towards data-driven and AI-supported production. "Manufacturing companies throughout OWL and beyond can benefit from the results and experiences. it's OWL will organize workshops, tours and transfer projects for this purpose," says Günter Korder, Managing Director of it's OWL Clustermanagement GmbH.

The project has a total volume of 14.5 million Euros and is being funded with 9.2 million Euros by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Data Factory.NRW is a strategic initiative of the leading-edge cluster it's OWL and a flagship project of the AI.NRW initiative.