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HMS takes control at German IIoT firm, WEBfactory
Swedish-based HMS Industrial Networks AB, a subsidiary of HMS Networks AB, has acquired 74.9% of the shares in the German company WEBfactory, which provides Web-based software for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
Founded in 1994 as a Scada system integrator, WEBfactory released its first software in 2000, and now has customers worldwide. The Buchen-based company has a subsidiary in Romania, employs 27 people, and is expected to have sales worth €2.5m in 2019. The remaining 25.1% of its shares will be retained by CEO Bernhard Böhrer, who is staying on as managing director.
“We are very excited to become part of HMS,” says Böhrer. “Together with HMS’ complementing industrial hardware and software technologies, we will be able to provide very attractive solutions for IIoT, ready to be integrated into any third-party IT/IIoT system.”
WEBfactory is best known for its i4 suite of software products which address IIoT-related issues such as data collection, analysis and visualisation.
“With WEBfactory, we add a very competent and future-proof software dimension to HMS’ offering for IIoT,” says HMS Networks’ CEO, Staffan Dahlström. “The i4 software products will enable a straightforward path for HMS’ customers and partners to realise truly smart manufacturing and services. We are also excited about the synergies that can be achieved by using our Anybus, Ixxat, Ewon and Intesis hardware products to feed data to the i4 suite from devices and machines in manufacturing sites and buildings.”
The i4 suite includes three main components:
• i4connected A flexible IIoT platform that connects plants, machines, systems and buildings digitally, enabling smart applications such as remote monitoring, predictive maintenance and energy management. KPI data from connected equipment is provided in real time, and can be processed, analysed and integrated in any IIoT/IT applications.
• i4Scada Web-based software that enables tailor-made data and process visualisation related to machines, production plants and building management systems.
• i4BACnet Web-based management and operations software for building management systems which is certified to the BACnet standard.
The deal is expected to close on 1 April, 2019.
