1st EFAC International Assembly Night, AUTOMATICA 2010, Munich
”Where business leaders of the assembly technology industry meet” is the motto of the new EFAC networking event on the 8th of June, 2010, at AUTOMATICA in Munich. The dinner speech entitled ”Mechanical Engineering: Structures, Prospectives and Challenges” will be given by VDMA Chief Economist, Dr. Ralph Wiechers. The 1st International Assembly Night is supported by AUTOMATICA. Entrance is only possible upon prior registration (by 1st June 2010). For further details and a registration form, please click on the download below!

Download (1st_EFAC_Assembly_Night.pdf)

5th EFAC Conference united leaders of European assembly and handling industry
Nearly 70 top-level executives from all over Europe met in Davos from 23 – 24 January 2009 for discussing the challenges of the assembly and handling business with a focus on customer perspectives, global markets and opportunities as well as business trends. Presentations from assembly suppliers and users elaborated on current and future trends and strategies.

In an interactive session participants discussed risks and opportunities of the current economic situation. In addition the latest results of the EFAC Quick Survey, the business climate analysis for the assembly and handling sector in various European countries, were presented.

Ample space was given to networking opportunities, such as the Swiss Night Out! on top of the Schatzalp mountain, “speakers’ corners” and networking sessions. The next EFAC Conference is scheduled to take place in January 2011 in Davos.

Alessandro Torsoli new EFAC President
At the EFAC General Assembly on 16th November 2007 in Milan, Hans-Dieter Baumtrog of sortimat Technology GmbH & Co. KG, (Germany) handed over the EFAC Presidency to Alessandro Torsoli of ABL Automazione S.p.A. (Italy). Rolf Rihs of Mikron SA (Switzerland) has been elected Vice President of EFAC. Please refer to the download below for further information.

Download (EFAC_PressRelease_2007_Election.pdf)

EFAC Conference 2007 in Davos presented ’Best Practices’
Reading like a ”Who is Who” of the European assembly and handling technology industry, the 4th EFAC Conference (January 19-20, 2007, Davos, Switzerland) united more than 60 top-level executives for sharing ”Best Practices”, which was also the general motto of the conference. The conference sessions centered around approaches for achieving excellence in manufacturing, business and technology. Ample space was given to networking opportunities, such as the Swiss Night Out! on top of the Schatzalp mountain.

For more information about the EFAC Conference 2007 go to www.efac.org/conference.

The next EFAC Conference is scheduled to take place in January 2009.

Download (EFAC_Conference2007_testimonials.pdf)

SdA: Official organ of the Italian Assembly Association AidA well established
In March 2006 SdA – Assembly Solutions celebrates its first anniversary, becoming the reference publication for an industry counting close to one thousand companies in Italy.
SdA is the official organ of the Italian Assembly Association (AidA). Each issue has regular sections provided by the European Factory Automation Committee (EFAC) and its national member associations as well as SIRI (Italian Robotic and Automation Association). These columns present the latest technology trends and market information. The magazine is published in Italian with English abstracts. SdA will follow the major Italian and European events of the assembly business and draw a full picture of the economic trends with data, statistics, surveys and news on the industry’s financing.

3rd EFAC Benchmarking Study to be launched in the 1st quarter of 2006
The 3rd EFAC Benchmarking Survey is scheduled to start early in 2006. Its aim is to provide key data of strategic importance to the assembly and handling industry. The questionnaires have been simplified to ensure easy participation. All European companies active in the field of assembly and handling technology are invited to join. For accessing selected results of the 2005 Study and further information click on the link provided below. Here you can also participate in our 3-minute-survey. Your inputs will help us improve our annual Benchmarking Study!

3rd EFAC Conference 2005 delves deeply into globalization issues
More than 70 top-level attendees from 10 countries came to Davos on January 21st/22nd 2005 for discussing the challenges of the assembly business with a view to global shifts of production and a fierce competitive environment. Presentations from assembly suppliers as well as users of this technology elaborated on current and future trends and strategies. The next EFAC Conference is scheduled to take place in Davos in January 2007.

For further information click on the link below!

1st EFAC Benchmarking Study launched successfully
The 1st EFAC Benchmarking Study was launched in the second half of 2004. 41 companies from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland participated. The aim is to collect industry-specific data of strategic importance for the suppliers of assembly and handling technology. Results became available in the 4th quarter of 2004 (results are available to participating companies only). The next EFAC Benchmarking Study is scheduled for April 2005 and is open to non-members, also. Please contact us if you would like to participate!

EFAC elects new President and Vice-President
EFAC is pleased to announce that Hans-Dieter Baumtrog, Managing Director of sortimat Technology in Winnenden, Germany, has been appointed EFAC President. He succeeds Martin Frauenfelder, President of PARO AG, Subingen, Switzerland, who was the first EFAC President during the initial three years of EFAC’s creation and development. François Paillusseau, CEO and main private shareholder of Lagniel S.A., Douvres-la-Délivrande, France, has been elected Vice-President of EFAC.

Download (Pressrelease_helsinki.doc)

Finland joins EFAC
EFAC is pleased to announce that Finland will be fully integrated in its network. On the 1st of January 2003, the Finnish LASSI Club (Light Assembly Industry) was admitted as the 7th member of EFAC. The new member will enhance the networking quality of EFAC as Finland has an assembly technology industry of considerable size.
(January 20, 2003)

Download (LASSI_profile.pdf)

2nd EFAC Conference strengthens European Network
The conference held on 17/18 January 2003 attracted some 60 senior executives of the assembly technology sector from 11 countries and provided a unique networking opportunity for the decision-makers within the industry.
(January 20, 2003)

Download (confererence_report_2003.PDF)

EFAC Launches New Statistics Project: EFAC QUICK SURVEY
EFAC has recently launched its business climate survey of the assembly and handling technology industry in France, Germany, Italy and France. The EFAC Quick Survey aims at providing highly up-to-date market trends specifically for this industry. It provides valuable information and forecasts about the market development (development of turnover, incoming orders) and the development of employment. Further countries are expected to participate in the near future. The Quick Survey is open to manufacturers of assembly and handling technology. The results of the Quick Survey are exclusively distributed to all participating companies. Please contact us if you are interested in joining our Quick Survey.
(15 July 2002)

Download (sample_questionnaire.PDF)

Italian Association AidA joins EFAC
EFAC is gaining momentum. In its meeting on 15 June 2001 in Barcelona, AidA, the Italian assembly and handling technology association, joined EFAC. AidA represents Europe‘s second largest assembly and handling technology industry. With AidA’s decision to join, six European countries now cooperate within the framework of EFAC: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.
(18 June 2001)

Hans-Dieter Baumtrog of sortimat Technology elected Vice-President of EFAC
On the occasion of the EFAC meeting on 15 June 2001 Hans-Dieter Baumtrog, Managing Director of sortimat Technology, Winnenden, Germany, was elected Vice-President of EFAC. In addition, Mr. Baumtrog chairs the assembly and handling group within VDMA.
(18 June 2001)

First EFAC Conference in Davos establishes European network
On 19 and 20 January 2001 Davos was the place to be for European manufacturers of assembly and handling technology. The European Factory Automation Committee’s (EFAC) first conference attracted 40 executive level participants from 7 European countries.

”We are a young industry with a tremendous growth potential. Global competition, shorter product life-cycles, new technologies as well as higher quality and safety standards make a challenging and promising environment for assembly and handling technology manufacturers. Let us join forces on a European level to seize these opportunities.”, said Martin Frauenfelder, President of EFAC and Chief Operating Officer of Mikron Assembly Technologies, Switzerland, in his opening address. ”In the last five years, the European and US markets for assembly technology have experienced annual growth rates in excess of 10%”, he added.

The conference reflected the current trends and challenges facing the industry. Present and future requirements of the users of assembly technology were a definite focus of the conference: ”For us, more speed and higher flexibility means no more than two months from receiving the order to the actual start of mobile phone production”, said Norbert Malinowski of Flextronics International, a globally active contract electronics manufacturer. Further topics of the conference included quality management systems of the automotive industry, Community research opportunities, after-sales service as a strategy to raise competitiveness and the potential of e-business for selling and buying automation products.

EFAC will continue to promote networking between European manufacturers of assembly and handling technology and focus on statistics. The next European EFAC Conference is scheduled for January 2003. In the words of a participant: ”To be able to meet other companies from the automation world from other countries was very instructive. Hopefully EFAC will grow.”
(22 January 2002)

EFAC promotes inclusion of assembly and handling technology position in international nomenclatures
EFAC estimates the turnover of the assembly and handling technology industry in Europe for the current year at 12 billion euros. In addition, its impact is emphasized by the fact that assembly and handling technolgies have a ”leverage effect” on manufacturing industries at large: Progress in assembly and handling technology has a considerable influence on the productivity and competitiveness of the industrial sectors which apply it. Therefore, EFAC calls for a modification of international nomenclatures, such as the Combined Nomenclature (CN), the Harmonized Nomenclature (HN) and PRODCOM. By including an own position ”Assemby and Handling Technology” in these international nomenclatures, official and compulsory statistics on a European level will be initiated and reliable data will be generated.
(20 December 2000)