#Industry 4.0 / Digitalization

2023-03-23

New Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the Lenze Group

A handover at Lenze SE: on May 1, 2023, Dr.-Ing. Claus Bischoff (49) will become the new CTO of the global automation specialist. He succeeds Dipl.-Ing. Frank Maier (60), who is leaving the company on April 30 after 14 years on the Executive Board and 18 years with the company to devote more time to his family and personal interests. As Chief Technology Officer, Bischoff will be responsible for Research & Development and Innovation. In this role, he will continue to drive the digital transformation of the company and the technological development of Lenze's range of services.

Dr.-Ing. Claus Bischoff succeeds Dipl.-Ing. Frank Maier in April

Frank Maier joined the company in 2005 when Lenze became a globally successful automation specialist. Among other things, he drove the transformation of the product portfolio into a scalable modular mechatronics system and paid particular attention to the expansion of the software portfolio and expertise.

"Over almost two decades, Frank Maier has played a key role in shaping the company's further development and achieving major technical milestones. On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board and the Lenze family of owners, I would like to thank him for his work and the successes he has achieved. We wish him all the best for the rest of his life," says Dr. Michael Paul, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Lenze SE, and adds: "At the same time, I am very pleased that we have been able to recruit Dr. Claus Bischoff for the Lenze Executive Board. I see him as a strong leader who combines technical know-how with an entrepreneurial mindset, and I am convinced that he will provide a decisive impetus for the further growth of the Lenze Group."

Lenze CEO Christian Wendler adds: "With his expertise in digitalization and IIoT, Frank Maier has set a decisive course for our future. Building on this, we will further consolidate our position as a pacesetter in automation. With Claus Bischoff, we are getting an excellently suited successor. I look forward to working with my new colleague."

With Bischoff, a proven and recognized engineering, automation, and mechatronics expert joins the top management body of Lenze SE. He has many years of experience building digital and agile approaches and organizational and business development in global companies. Bischoff, who holds a PhD in Mechatronics & Automation, joins Lenze from mechatronics specialist Marquardt GmbH, where he was most recently Managing Director and CTO responsible for Engineering, Sales & Business Units. Previously, Claus Bischoff was Head of Engineering at Continental AG, where he was responsible for development in the field of hybrid and electric vehicle systems, and held management positions at Magna International AG and Robert Bosch GmbH.

Lenze receives IEC 62443-4-1 certification: TÜV Rheinland confirms cyber-secure development process

Lenze SE has been certified according to IEC 62443-4-1 since November 2025. TÜV Rheinland thus confirms that Lenze meets the requirements of this internationally recognized standard for a secure development process for industrial automation and drive products. The certification is an important milestone on the way to implementing the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), which will become mandatory for machine manufacturers and their suppliers from December 2027.

Lenze at ITMA Asia 2025: Smart, Robust and Cost-Efficient Motor Drive System IE5/IE6 for the Textile Future

At the world's largest trade fair for textile and apparel technology, ITMA Asia (October 28-31, 2025 in Singapore), Lenze will be presenting innovative automation solutions for the textile value chain in Hall 7, Stand B201. The focus will be on energy-efficient drive packages, modular machine concepts and scalable software solutions - developed for mechanical engineers and end users who rely on sustainable technologies. Lenze has been a reliable partner to the textile industry for over 77 years.

New alliance for high-performance drive technology

The Lenze Group, international specialist for drive technology and automation solutions, and Sonepar in Germany, leading electrical wholesaler, have entered into a sales partnership with a focus on innovation and market penetration. Since 1 July 2025, Sonepar has been an official "Lenze Performance Partner Distribution" - with the aim of bringing innovative drive solutions to industry faster and more comprehensively.

Earning money with data? Lenze demonstrates how.

The “SPS – smart production solutions” in Nuremberg is THE trade fair for automation in Europe. At the Lenze booth 391 in Hall 7 it is all about the digitalization of mechanical engineering this year. In four steps - from data collection and analysis to the development of data-driven, scalable products and a platform that facilitates the implementation of application in the field - the automation experts from Hamelin will showcase how they collaborate with customers to generate additional revenue for them.

Textilfabrik 7.0 launched: Mönchengladbach becomes a real-world lab for sustainable textile production

With the official kick-off event of the Textilfabrik 7.0 (T7), a major transformation project for the German textile and apparel industry has been launched in the Monforts Quarter in Mönchengladbach. At the “Textile Roundtable,” an event format organized by the Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier, representatives from industry, research, politics, and the regional economy came together to jointly lay the foundation for CO₂-neutral, circular, and economically viable textile production in Germany.

OnceMore® from Södra brings end-to-end traceability for circular Man-made Cellulosic Fibers (MMCF) using TextileGenesis

OnceMore® from Södra, the world’s first large-scale process for recycling blended fabrics into high‐quality dissolving pulp, will begin using TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, to strengthen traceability from raw material to retail across the value chain. OnceMore® produces dissolving pulp made from blended textile waste and wood sourced from responsibly managed Swedish forests. By integrating TextileGenesis, OnceMore® supports the growing need for verified data and secure, transparent tracking throughout increasingly complex supply chain.

Jeanologia launches Billy

The new AI extracts precise laser designs from a garment image in minutes, transforming how vintage denim is recreated for production. If Jeanologia’s laser changed the way jeans were made at the end of the last century, its AI now takes the next step: moving from reproducing wear to designing it. / archive photo © 2026 Jeanologia

New study shows low environmental impact by Cotton made in Africa Organic Cotton from Tanzania

Today, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is announcing the results of a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA) for cotton produced in Tanzania under the Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic) standard. The study emphasises the small ecological footprint of CmiA Organic verified cotton. This can largely be traced back to the absence of synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and artificial irrigation. Consequently, CmiA Organic cotton can help the textile industry meet regulatory requirements as well as science-based targets. The results also show that the consequences of climate change threaten the livelihoods of these cotton farmers, even though the type of agriculture they practise barely contributes to climate change.

PERFORMANCE DAYS proves its relevance as the industry’s key meeting point

Held on March 18–19, 2026, PERFORMANCE DAYS once again confirmed its position as a leading international platform for functional textiles. A total of 3.366 trade visitors and around 560 exhibitors gathered in Munich, with the event already kicking off successfully on DAY 0, which received highly positive feedback for its interactive format. Despite challenging conditions caused by the public transport strike in Munich, the event saw strong attendance and a consistently high level of activity across both exhibition days.