At the Automobil Produktion Kongress 2024 in Munich, our chief content officer Christopher Ludwig spoke with Arno Güllering, senior vice president of Operations at ZF’s Electrified Powertrain Technology division. Güllering shared his expertise on the advancements in smart factory initiatives at ZF, the strategies employed to tackle industry volatility, and the differing trends in digitalisation across the globe.

Managing global operations reveals regional trends. North America and Mexico embrace digitalisation readily, Europe is more hesitant, while Asia advances rapidly. Encouraging a digitalisation mindset is crucial, with ZF creating Centers of Excellence and a Smart Factory Coordinator Network to foster collaboration. Güllering highlighted digital twins as an exciting technology with significant potential for efficiency and stock management.

The insights from this interview provide a roadmap for navigating industry challenges and embracing the digital future. Stay tuned for more updates and discussions from the Automobil Produktion Kongress and beyond, as we continue to explore the cutting edge of automotive technology and production.

Automobil Produktion Kongress

Automobil Produktion Kongress took place in Hochhaus Süddeutscher Verlag, Munich on 16-17 May.

Run in partnership with AMS’ sister site, Automobil Produktion, the conference brought together leaders in the industry to disuss the growing importance of digital transformation in manufacturing and logistics as well as IT integration in vehicle production. 

Register for 2025 here now