Automation centre will help European users to develop applications
24 April 2025 
Omron has opened its first application-based Automation Centre in Europe – and the first of its type outside of Japan. The centre, in Stuttgart, Germany, will act as a hub for innovation and collaboration in industrial automation, focusing on applications for sectors such as food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and digital manufacturing.
The 2,372m² facility, located near Stuttgart international airport, is home to a team of experts in technologies such as sensing, controls, vision, safety, robotics and AI.
Omron customers from across Europe and the UK will be able to visit the Centre to experience and test industrial automation systems. The staff can help with feasibility studies for complex automation projects, and to develop and test customised systems. They will not, however, act as systems integrators for full projects.
By co-developing systems with manufacturers, machine-builders and systems integrators, Omron says it will help them to tackle challenges such as labour shortages.
“We believe that the best innovations emerge through collaboration,” says the Automation Centre’s general manager, Peter Ehl. “What makes this Centre so special is that it was purpose-built from the ground up specifically for Omron. Every part of this facility has been designed with our customers in mind – to provide an environment where we can collaborate, test, and refine real-world automation solutions.”
The Centre includes a proof-of-concept laboratory, as well as offices and storage space. It has working machines demonstrating various facets of industrial automation, including logistics, packaging, pick-and-place, warehousing, assembly and inspection. The machines are linked by a fleet of in AMRs (autonomous mobile robots), demonstrating how these vehicles can be used to transfer items automatically between different production processes. Several of the machines are demonstrating the use of CIP Safety communications over Wi-Fi.
The proof-of-concept lab includes demonstrations of machine vision, robotics, data analysis, motion control and safety.
The Centre will focus on applications at the system level, unlike Omron’s existing 48 product demonstration facilities and proof-of-concept labs around the world, including those in the UK, Spain, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and Turkey. There is also a facility specialising in AMRs, located in Annecy France.
“The new Automation Centre in Stuttgart represents a significant investment in Germany and in the EMEA region,” says Fernando Colás, CEO of Omron Industrial Automation Europe. “I am incredibly proud of the dedication and teamwork that made this vision a reality. Seeing this project come to life and now standing in a space where we can innovate together with our customers is an inspiring moment. We are excited to shape the future of manufacturing together with our customers and partners.”
