#Industry 4.0 / Digitalization

2023-03-23

New Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the Lenze Group

A handover at Lenze SE: on May 1, 2023, Dr.-Ing. Claus Bischoff (49) will become the new CTO of the global automation specialist. He succeeds Dipl.-Ing. Frank Maier (60), who is leaving the company on April 30 after 14 years on the Executive Board and 18 years with the company to devote more time to his family and personal interests. As Chief Technology Officer, Bischoff will be responsible for Research & Development and Innovation. In this role, he will continue to drive the digital transformation of the company and the technological development of Lenze's range of services.

Dr.-Ing. Claus Bischoff succeeds Dipl.-Ing. Frank Maier in April

Frank Maier joined the company in 2005 when Lenze became a globally successful automation specialist. Among other things, he drove the transformation of the product portfolio into a scalable modular mechatronics system and paid particular attention to the expansion of the software portfolio and expertise.

"Over almost two decades, Frank Maier has played a key role in shaping the company's further development and achieving major technical milestones. On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board and the Lenze family of owners, I would like to thank him for his work and the successes he has achieved. We wish him all the best for the rest of his life," says Dr. Michael Paul, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Lenze SE, and adds: "At the same time, I am very pleased that we have been able to recruit Dr. Claus Bischoff for the Lenze Executive Board. I see him as a strong leader who combines technical know-how with an entrepreneurial mindset, and I am convinced that he will provide a decisive impetus for the further growth of the Lenze Group."

Lenze CEO Christian Wendler adds: "With his expertise in digitalization and IIoT, Frank Maier has set a decisive course for our future. Building on this, we will further consolidate our position as a pacesetter in automation. With Claus Bischoff, we are getting an excellently suited successor. I look forward to working with my new colleague."

With Bischoff, a proven and recognized engineering, automation, and mechatronics expert joins the top management body of Lenze SE. He has many years of experience building digital and agile approaches and organizational and business development in global companies. Bischoff, who holds a PhD in Mechatronics & Automation, joins Lenze from mechatronics specialist Marquardt GmbH, where he was most recently Managing Director and CTO responsible for Engineering, Sales & Business Units. Previously, Claus Bischoff was Head of Engineering at Continental AG, where he was responsible for development in the field of hybrid and electric vehicle systems, and held management positions at Magna International AG and Robert Bosch GmbH.

Lenze receives IEC 62443-4-1 certification: TÜV Rheinland confirms cyber-secure development process

Lenze SE has been certified according to IEC 62443-4-1 since November 2025. TÜV Rheinland thus confirms that Lenze meets the requirements of this internationally recognized standard for a secure development process for industrial automation and drive products. The certification is an important milestone on the way to implementing the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), which will become mandatory for machine manufacturers and their suppliers from December 2027.

Lenze at ITMA Asia 2025: Smart, Robust and Cost-Efficient Motor Drive System IE5/IE6 for the Textile Future

At the world's largest trade fair for textile and apparel technology, ITMA Asia (October 28-31, 2025 in Singapore), Lenze will be presenting innovative automation solutions for the textile value chain in Hall 7, Stand B201. The focus will be on energy-efficient drive packages, modular machine concepts and scalable software solutions - developed for mechanical engineers and end users who rely on sustainable technologies. Lenze has been a reliable partner to the textile industry for over 77 years.

New alliance for high-performance drive technology

The Lenze Group, international specialist for drive technology and automation solutions, and Sonepar in Germany, leading electrical wholesaler, have entered into a sales partnership with a focus on innovation and market penetration. Since 1 July 2025, Sonepar has been an official "Lenze Performance Partner Distribution" - with the aim of bringing innovative drive solutions to industry faster and more comprehensively.

Driving digitalization, efficiency, and Smart Manufacturing across textiles and carpets

At this year’s ITM, BMSvision proudly showcases its next leap forward in digital manufacturing excellence. As a long-standing global pioneer in Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) for the textile and plastics industries, BMSvision continues to accelerate digital transformation by delivering powerful, data-driven solutions that boost productivity, enhance quality and support sustainable growth. Visit BMSvision at the Vandewiele booth in Hall 7, Booth 710, to experience the future of textiles manufacturing.

Textilfabrik 7.0 launched: Mönchengladbach becomes a real-world lab for sustainable textile production

With the official kick-off event of the Textilfabrik 7.0 (T7), a major transformation project for the German textile and apparel industry has been launched in the Monforts Quarter in Mönchengladbach. At the “Textile Roundtable,” an event format organized by the Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier, representatives from industry, research, politics, and the regional economy came together to jointly lay the foundation for CO₂-neutral, circular, and economically viable textile production in Germany.

OnceMore® from Södra brings end-to-end traceability for circular Man-made Cellulosic Fibers (MMCF) using TextileGenesis

OnceMore® from Södra, the world’s first large-scale process for recycling blended fabrics into high‐quality dissolving pulp, will begin using TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, to strengthen traceability from raw material to retail across the value chain. OnceMore® produces dissolving pulp made from blended textile waste and wood sourced from responsibly managed Swedish forests. By integrating TextileGenesis, OnceMore® supports the growing need for verified data and secure, transparent tracking throughout increasingly complex supply chain.

Fifteen years of Autoneum – From spin off to global technology leader

What started as a strategic carve‑out has since become the success story of a global technology leader in acoustic and thermal management solutions for vehicles. Headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, Autoneum supplies leading automobile manufacturers worldwide with innovative, lightweight and increasingly sustainable solutions.

Kruger, Canada, orders first nonwovens line for sustainable wipes from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from newly established Kruger Nonwovens to deliver a complete WetlaceTM hybrid line for the Wayagamack mill in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. With this investment, pulp and paper producer Kruger is preparing to enter the nonwovens market with a new generation of plastic-free, chemical-free materials for sustainable wipes. The line is the first of its kind in Canada and is scheduled to start production in 2028.

Picanol to present its leading weaving technology at ITM 2026

Picanol is pleased to announce it will be participating in ITM 2026 in Istanbul. This is a key event for industry professionals to engage with the Turkish textile industry as well as the extensive international audience attending the fair. During the event, Picanol will present its latest innovations to the visitors in Hall 8, booth 802.