Meet the cluster
Whether it’s the energy transition, a shortage of skilled workers, geopolitical changes or fragile supply chains – industry in Germany is facing major challenges. We offer solutions. it’s OWL: the competence centre Industrie.Zero.
In the Leading-Edge Cluster it’s OWL – Intelligent Technical Systems OstWestfalenLippe – over 220 companies, research institutions and organisations are developing solutions for intelligent products and processes so that companies can produce and work more sustainably.
For more than ten years, it’s OWL has been developing solutions and applications in around 500 projects on topics such as artificial intelligence and intelligent product development, thus supporting companies with digitalisation. it’s OWL is building on its expertise as the largest initiative for Industry 4.0 and wants to make OstWestfalenLippe a model region for sustainable value creation as a ‘competence network for Industrie.Zero’.
Who is part of our network?
Family-owned companies and a strong SME sector form the core of the network. These include numerous global market leaders: strong brands such as Benteler, Claas, Diebold Nixdorf, DMG Mori, Dr. Oetker, GEA, Hettich and Miele, but also many hidden champions such as Kannegiesser and WP Kemper. Beckhoff, Harting, KEB, Lenze, Phoenix Contact, Wago and Weidmüller set world standards in industrial electronics.
The regional universities and research institutions stand for interdisciplinary cutting-edge research in areas such as artificial intelligence, industrial automation, future of work and systems engineering. More than 1,000 scientists are working on the solutions of tomorrow in four collaborative research centres, 18 research institutes and three Fraunhofer institutes.
A bit of history…
it’s OWL was founded in 2012 after the Federal Ministry of Education and Research recognized it’s OWL as the winner of the Leading-Edge Cluster Competition. It was based on a strategy concept developed by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Gausemeier and coordinated by OstWestfalenLippe GmbH.
The network has launched projects worth 200 million euros by 2023 to tap into the potential of AI for production, among other things.
Since 2023, it’s OWL has been pursuing a dual strategy for sustainable value creation through Intelligent Technical Systems with ‘Industrie.Zero’.
Sustainable value creation through intelligent technical systems means that companies develop intelligent products for sustainable use and use intelligent production processes for sustainable value creation. Sustainability thus becomes the foundation for the company’s success.
What’s behind the competence network
it’s OWL Clustermanagement GmbH manages the implementation of the projects, the further development of the strategy, the networking of the cluster partners and the marketing for it’s OWL. Founded in 2012, it’s OWL e. V. comprises over 220 members and is the sole shareholder of the GmbH.
Companies, universities and other partners pool their interests in the association. The association’s board is the Cluster Board, which is also the supervisory body for the cluster management. In addition, internationally renowned scientists support the Cluster Board and the management in the form of the it’s OWL Advisory Board.
Contact us
The it’s OWL cluster board
The it’s OWL Cluster Board is responsible for the strategic direction of it’s OWL and currently comprises 21 high-ranking personalities.
President of Paderborn University
Chief Technology Officer at Weidmüller
District President in the administrative district of Detmold
Managing Director Technology Miele & Cie. KG (Chairman of the Cluster Board)
Management of the Böllhoff Group
Rector of Bielefeld University
Vice President Business Excellence Division at GEA
R&D cooperations Beckhoff Automation GmbH
Managing Director Harting AG
(Deputy Chairman of the Cluster Board)
President of Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences
Managing Director Isringhausen GmbH & Co KG
Managing Partner OWL Maschinenbau e.V.
Former CTO Lenze
Managing Director BENTELER Automobiltechnik (CFO) & Group CIO
Member of the Management Board Unity AG
Managing Director Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
President of Hochschule Bielefeld – University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Deputy Chairwoman of the Cluster Board)
Member of the Group Executive Board Claas KGaA mbH
Vice President Corporate Innovation Exploration at WAGO
Speaker of the shareholders’ meeting of OWL GmbH
Member of the Management Board of Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH
The it’s OWL advisory board
Internationally renowned scientists advise the cluster board and management on strategic and technological direction.
Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg
Berlin University of Technology
University of Bremen
Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH (retired)
Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts
Dresden University of Technology