Future-proofing the key German sector
The industrial goods sector is a symbol of technological progress and prosperity worldwide, and especially in Germany. To make this growth driver “future-proof,” it is necessary to recruit the best talent, create resilient supply chains, design sustainable, circular products, and compensate for persistently high prices in the raw materials and energy markets with smart, digital solutions.
Customer expectations are rising. Fast development times and delighted customers require close customer contact. Models such as direct-to-customer (D2C) sales help better customer understanding and enable personalized experiences, in both B2B and B2C business.
The question is: How can digital solutions support the physical masterpieces of manufacturing to the maximum?
94% of the nearly 1500 German global market leaders are industrial companies.
About 60% of all companies in the industrial goods sector see the shortage of skilled workers as business-critical and the biggest problem.
Nearly 70% of manufacturers in Germany who already sell D2C today expect total sales to increase as a result over the next five years.
Greatest opportunities through new technologies
Smart energy
The digital networking of processes, information flows from electricity consumers and employees opens up a flexible and, as far as possible, autonomous production environment that makes inefficiencies transparent and can react quickly to electricity prices and consumption.
Circular economy
Digital solutions help minimize resource use, and thus costs, and maximize material lifecycles, and thus emissions efficiency. IoT platforms and product passports make the origin, components and product life cycle transparent. This helps, for example, to pass on produced goods to reusers via platforms instead of disposing of them at high cost.
Data analytics
By using Big Data analytics, B2B manufacturers can gain valuable insights into the behavior, preferences and usage patterns of their customers. This helps in personalizing products, customizing services and providing a better customer experience, analogous to the B2C sector.
Smart warehousing and logistics
IoT-enabled sensors, RFID tracking and automation technologies can significantly streamline B2B manufacturers’ warehousing and logistics processes. This includes optimizing inventory management, reducing errors and improving order fulfillment, resulting in faster and more efficient delivery.
Konrad is one of the founders of DevelopX and leads the company as Managing Partner. He founded DevelopX in 2019 as a partner of TruVenturo, one of Europe’s leading company builders in the digital space. Prior to founding DevelopX, Konrad was responsible for founding and scaling several tech startups at TruVenturo and realized several successful exits.
After studying materials science, Konrad worked for several years as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company in Hamburg, advising companies in the manufacturing, high tech and chemicals sectors. Konrad holds an MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona and lives in Hamburg.
As an engineer and passionate entrepreneur, Konrad works with companies in the energy, industrials and logistics sectors and advises our private equity clients in due diligence or portfolio optimization.