RENK Group

Markus Braun currently holds the position of CIO at RENK Group. Previously, he worked as CIO and IT Manager in the metal, chemical, and publishing industries for two decades. He started his career in the banking and insurance industry.

What are some of the major challenges and trends that have been impacting the industry lately?

The biggest challenges for a mechanical engineering company like RENK are the shift toward greater service orientation, dealing with unreliable supply chains, and threats of cybercrime. New trends and technologies in the IT world help to address these challenges and continue to grow as a company. The networking and digitalization of the shop floor, the first use of AI solutions, and AR/VR-based intelligent remote support solutions can give a competitive edge in the marketplace.

What keeps you up at night when it comes to some of the major predicaments in the industry?

Without a doubt, the biggest challenge for me as a CIO is the threat of cybercrime, the danger of ransomware attacks that could paralyze the company, and how to defend against them. However, this does not give me sleepless nights, as RENK has been aware of this issue for a long time and invests a great deal in technical and organizational measures to defend against cyberattacks.

“Mechanical engineering generates a vast amount of data in the development and production process that can serve as the basis for AI-based applications.”

Can you tell us about the latest project that you have been working on and what are some of the technological and process elements that you leveraged to make the project successful?

I have recently completed a project connecting over one hundred production machines on the shop floor of RENK's main plants. The aim of the project is to collect and evaluate all machine statuses in a central IT solution. This makes it transparent when a machine is producing, how long the setup times are, and what downtimes there are. Using dashboards, a comparison can be made very quickly across the entire machine park, deviations can be identified, and the causes can be investigated in a targeted manner. The project was carried out very successfully because, on the one hand, the specialist department and IT worked very closely together, and, on the other hand, an IT solution from a technological market leader was selected and used. Finally, stringent project management ensured the success of the project.

What are some of the technological trends that excite you for the future of the industry?

First and foremost is undoubtedly the advent and use of AI-based systems. More and more specialized AI systems are being developed. Mechanical engineering generates a vast amount of data in the development and production process that can serve as the basis for AI-based applications. In addition, the boundaries between individual components used by OEMs are increasingly being overcome, and an overall view and interpretation of operating data results in a competitive advantage.

What advice would you give to young professionals who are interested in pursuing a career in technology, and what qualities do you think are essential for success in this field?

Sound technical knowledge is the basis for any career. But don't just focus on technology; broaden your people skills, expand project management and leadership skills, be open to new things, and build networks. In the end, it's not specialized knowledge in a narrowly defined subject that counts; it's the totality of all skills that represents the added value of your person.