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Wolfgang Bay, Member of the Executive Board of SICK AG in an interview
DEVELOPING PRODUT IDEAS TOGETHER
Wolfgang Bay is a member of the Executive Board of SICK AG, responsible for research and development and head of the central R&D department. SICK AG manufactures sensor technology for a wide range of applications, is also a supplier to the logistics and distribution industry, and runs its own logistics center in Waldkirch, Germany. SICK and KIT have been working together intensively since 2007.

KIT: Are autonomous logistics elements like KARIS the future in the warehouse?
Wolfgang Bay: I can answer that in two ways. On the one hand, rigid systems can no longer fully meet today's production and logistics requirements and cannot be automated any further. Autonomous, modular and small-scale solutions like KARIS will become more important the more complex and varied the material flow is. On the other hand, they cannot replace high-performance systems, but complement them.
KIT: How important are innovations for a medium-sized company like SICK?
Wolfgang Bay: The development of innovative products is essential, since it offers the only chance to remain competitive in the long term. We have to offer our customers effective and timely solutions and therefore invest nine to ten percent of our sales in research and development.
What share do research institutions like KIT have in this development?
Wolfgang Bay: As a medium-sized company, we also carry out application-oriented basic development in addition to product development. However, we need strategic support, among others from KIT. Research institutions deal with the solutions for the problems in three to five years. This helps us to think outside the box, away from day-to-day business and the established paths. With the right partners and trusting cooperation, like with Professor Furmans and his team, valuable product ideas then emerge and are subsequently developed to market-ready products.
