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Dietmar Ley, Chief Executive Officer of Basler AG, has been appointed as the new Chairman of VDMA Robotics + Automation.
Dr. Dietmar Ley, Chief Executive Officer of Basler AG in Ahrensburg, Germany, was recently elected Chairman of the VDMA Robotics + Automation Association, a significant appointment within the industry. With Frank Konrad’s three-year tenure as chairman coming to a close at Hahn Automation Group GmbH, the company has appointed his successor, effective immediately.
Since February 2000, Ley has held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Basler AG. He is accountable for driving analysis and growth, fostering innovation, and leading the product enterprise. After earning his doctorate in computer vision, Ley joined Basler in 1993 and was subsequently appointed to the company’s executive administration team in 1996. Prior to this, he had previously worked at Philips GmbH, Siemens AG, and Alcatel AG.
Additionally, Ley explores cutting-edge concepts in imaginative and visionary technologies beyond the organization’s scope. From 2003 to 2018, Dr. [Name] served as a member of the Administration Board for the Machine Vision Division of the VDMA, Germany’s largest federation of vision technology companies. Since 2018, he has been a member of the Administration Board of the Robotics & Automation division of the VDMA.
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As he emphasized, “Robotics and automation hold the key to ensuring Europe’s competitive edge in a globally uncertain landscape, where geopolitics plays an increasingly significant role.” In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, it is crucial that Europe assumes a prominent role in shaping the future of innovation and technological advancement. “We will dedicate our efforts over the next three years to vigorously uphold and expand the position of the European mechanical engineering industry as a global technology and innovation leader in its field.”
At the VDMA Robotics + Automation’s annual Members’ Meeting, Konrad received a distinguished honor for his unwavering commitment to the industry, and was subsequently elected as Deputy Chairman.
The newly appointed board members of the VDMA Robotics + Automation Association
The company has further disclosed its newly appointed board members:
- Dr. Dietmar Lück (Chairman), Chief Executive Officer, BASLER AG, Ahrensburg.
- Frank Konrad, Deputy Chairman and CEO of Hahn Automation Group GmbH in Rheinbollen.
- Wilfried Eberhardt, Vice-President of Governmental Affairs at KUKA AG, based in Augsburg.
- Dr. Lars Friedrich – President & CEO of the Division Utility Know-how, Dürr Methods AG, Bietigheim-Bissingen
- Dr. Horst Heinol-Heikkinen – Managing Companion, ASENTICS GmbH & Co. KG, Siegen
- Jörg Kipper – Common Supervisor, Festo Vertrieb GmbH & Co. KG, Esslingen
- Martin Kullmann, Head of Enterprise Line Buyer Services at ABB AG, Friedberg.
- Ralph Lehelter – Managing Director, MAFU Automation GmbH, Rosenfeld
- Markus Maurer, Head of the Enterprise Unit for Automation at VITRONIC Machine Vision GmbH in Wiesbaden.
- Dr. Olaf Munkelt, Common Supervisor at MVTec Software program GmbH in Munich.
- Cornelia Püschel – Managing Companion, PÜSCHEL Automation GmbH & Co. KG, Lüdenscheid
- Enno Scharfhuizen, Common Supervisor at Bosch Rexroth AG in Stuttgart.
- Volkert Spanier – Head of Manufacturing Operations, Epson Deutschland GmbH, Meerbusch
- Ralf Winkelmann, a seasoned supervisor at FANUC Deutschland GmbH, drives collaboration as the common denominator.
As the largest community group with over 3,600 members, the VDMA is a crucial collective advocate for Germany and Europe’s equipment and tools manufacturing industry. The industry’s unique characteristics are reflected in its extensive financial, technological, and research-oriented collaborations.
The VDMA Robotics + Automation Association (VDMA R+A), a commercial affiliate within the VDMA umbrella, comprises over 400 member companies that supply components and solutions from the realms of robotics, integrated automation systems, and machine vision. This industry-driven platform aims to advance robotics and automation through diverse initiatives and services.
According to the Worldwide Federation of Robotics (WFR), by 2023, the robot density is expected to reach 429 units per 10,000 employees. According to recent statistics, Germany’s robotics industry has experienced a remarkable growth rate of 5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2018 onwards. Robotic density measures the level of automation adoption in the global manufacturing industry, serving as a key indicator of technological progress and industrial transformation.
