SUPPLIER FOCUS
to follow. It has invested in efficiency and process improvements at its Mündersbach site in Germany, as well as in sustainable production. “In the UK, we are expanding with additional technical sales staff. We have also expanded the floor space in our premises. More generally, across the EWM group intranet, I always see welcome messages to new staff in departments such as sales; R&D, software, automation, digitalisation and so on. These departments are growing rapidly so that we can stay on course to support our increasing presence in various parts of the world,” confirms Alan Cauchi. Frank Bartels adds: “We believe
that most of EWM’s growth will come from automation, torches, manual welding and digitalisation. However, although the industry is moving more towards automation, manual welding is still very important and one of our core competencies.” Looking to the future EWM’s motto
is ‘Just weld. Leave the rest to us.’ “We aim to make it as easy as possible
for our customers to weld. We will take care of the technology and we have the expertise to increase their productivity. We are effectively providing a one- stop shop of solutions to their welding challenges,” Frank Bartels explains. “We invest around 10% of our turnover
every year into R&D at our headquarters. We don’t just invest in our core competencies, but also in people with digital expertise. We are increasingly focusing on welding automation (such as cobots) and digitalisation in our R&D investments.” EWM’s R&D initiatives also
include new welding machines;
new torches for automation; new process variants, software updates and improvements to existing machines to increase their power, efficiency and so on. It is a continuous process and sometimes involves working with partners, such as integrators and robot specialists, on various projects. “Automation, digitalisation and software
are key. We write our own software, but we also work with partners such as robot suppliers on projects like cobots. We are proud that we can deliver a plug-and-play, ready-to-weld solution for users,” continues Frank Bartels. The global skills gap in welding
markets has led to increased demands for automation and mechanisation. The average age of welders is around 50 years old, and many are close to retirement. This, says Alan Cauchi, is both a challenge and an opportunity. “We need to make our industry more
attractive to the young and promote the benefits of welding to a new audience. I challenged a welding audience recently to spend at least an hour per year to promote welding to school or college students. You can’t be what you can’t see… We also need to change how people perceive the industry to emphasise, for example, skills and opportunities in programming; IT;
cobots/robots; digitalisaton; virtual and augmented reality systems in welding. These topics appeal to a younger audience; it’s about engaging the ‘Play Station generation’,” he says. EWM runs a variety of apprenticeship
schemes and regularly donates welding equipment to institutes, universities and educational centres. Alan Cauchi adds: “We want young people to experience and engage with our technology and become enthused by it. Although smart solutions will go some way towards taking the strain, it is imperative to fill the skills gap.” New technologies, such as artificial
intelligence and virtual/augmented reality, will also attract younger workers to the world of welding. “We are working with a partner in the UK on a virtual reality training tool for those who are new to welding. We have also introduced it to help
30 / WELDING WORLD MAGAZINE - ISSUE 01 - January 2024
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