24.03.2025
The event provided an inspiring atmosphere in which participants had the opportunity to maintain existing networks and forge new partnerships. Special mention was made of the achievements of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Manfred Hirt, who served as Cluster Spokesperson for the Mechatronics & Automation Cluster for many years. During the event, he handed over the baton to his successor Florian Ganz, Managing Director of enders GmbH.
In her laudatory speech, the Lord Mayor of the City of Augsburg, Eva Weber, paid tribute to Hirt's outstanding commitment and emphasized how decisive his work was and is for the further development and strengthening of the cluster and for the Augsburg region. Dr. Markus Wittmann, Ministerial Director at the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, thanked Hirt on behalf of the Ministry and welcomed Florian Ganz in his new role as Cluster Spokesperson.
Together with the current spokesperson Prof. Dr. Gordon Thomas Rohrmair, President of Augsburg University of Applied Sciences, Ganz will represent the cluster with immediate effect. The new spokesperson expressed his enthusiasm for the new role and looked forward to tackling the challenges facing the production industry.
The evening program concluded with a captivating keynote speech by Fabian Ziegler, Managing Director of the Augsburg digital agency TEAM23. His presentation gave the audience food for thought and highlighted the different perspectives in the interaction between humans, robotics and artificial intelligence in an exciting way. His presentation led to lively discussions and inspired those present to think about the future of production.
Overall, the Cluster Connect event was an important meeting to promote collaboration, networking and innovation within the Cluster Mechatronics & Automation network.
