Automation with Conveyors – a double booster for production

On our Good 2 Know knowledge page, we take a detailed look at the motives behind the decision to automate processes and tasks. In addition to the aspects mentioned there – shortage of skilled labour, humanisation, quality, rationalisation and competitiveness – the idea of “ensuring delivery capability through local domestic production instead of global sourcing” is another key aspect. Since the massive disruption in and even cancellation of supply chains due to the pandemic and the drastic increase in transport costs, the spotlight has once again turned to local manufacturing.

The good news for anyone thinking about investing in automation is the fact that such future-proof purchases are supported by various federal and state funding programs.

According to our information and experience, there is a wide variety of approaches and programs under which automation projects can fall. Digitalisation funding programs with names such as “Digital Jetzt” (example of the Federal government), “Digitalisierungsprämie plus” (example of Baden-Württemberg) and “Digitalbonus plus” (example of Bavaria) are widespread.

The Federal states also frequently offer funding programs restricted to their own regions.

Energy efficiency is also very often the focus of funding for an automation project.

SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) in particular usually receive the focus of funding, which is intended to make it easier for them to start or expand the proportion of automation in their company.

Here one is looking at funding rates of between 10-50%, sometimes limited to a maximum funding amount.

Funds are regularly reissued, sometimes subject to changing conditions. Information on this can be found on the websites of the Federal and state ministries of economics.