Centre of innovation opens in Rahden

Harting has opened its new centre of innovation in Rahden, Germany. The seventh plant in east Westphalia will go into operation with a workforce of some 120, about one and a half years after the building on the Rahden industrial estate was originally acquired.

The departments taking up work in Rahden include industrial communication and power networks, an integrated program that provides ethernet components, cabling and wiring across all company divisions.

One innovation created by this department is the fast track switching technology, which was nominated in 2009 for the world’s highest endowed technology prize, the Hermes Award.

The norms and standardisation department will also be moving into the Rahden facility. Here, staff are involved with national and international standardisation committees in the development of norms and standards, as well as being responsible for registering and monitoring patents belonging to Harting.

Staff from the marketing and product management department of the device connectivity division will also be working in Rahden. The job of these marketing experts is to ensure that the company keeps up with market trends and demands and turns these into genuine innovations. They support product development and product launches on the German and international markets.

Encouraging staff to share ideas is absolutely essential in a company facing up to complex demands. It is this collaboration across all departments that allows its staff to adopt a comprehensive approach, clearly making users the central focus.

The company has also set benchmarks in sustainability. Highly efficient, performance-controlled VRV inverter systems operating in relation to the outside temperature and sunshine ensure that room temperature is always adjusted to comfortable levels.