Rethink Robotics opens new production facility and adds Siemens as a shareholder

The new company headquarters and production facility is located in the immediate vicinity of the learning factory of the chair for production systems at Ruhr Universität Bochum, Germany. The premises are part of the new HAHN Group Technology Center. In the immediate vicinity of universities and research institutions, this creates a central place for the exchange of information, skills and technological developments. “The opening of the new corporate headquarters and production facility of Rethink Robotics symbolizes the transformation of the mining region into a location for future technologies. We supported the settlement from the start and are sure that Rethink Robotics will find an ideal environment here in order to continue their growth,” states Bernd Tönjes, CEO of the RAG-Stiftung, which holds a majority stake in the HAHN Group through its holding company RSBG SE. Rethink Robotics has already created 30 highly qualified jobs in Bochum. Their collaborative robot systems, which will be produced on-site, are used in manufacturing companies, as well as in in service applications for laboratory environments. Further investments in the development of the technology and the ongoing expansion of the team are planned for the future. Another milestone for the development of the company at the Bochum location is the recently implemented cooperation between Rethink Robotics and Siemens Technology Accelerator (STA). STA acquired a minority of the shares in Rethink Robotics as part of a technology contribution. The contribution includes know-how, patents and designs in the field of innovative hardware solutions for lightweight robots and cobots. In addition, a development cooperation between Rethink Robotics and Siemens Corporate Technology was agreed upon, in which the Siemens Corporate Technology hardware solutions are to be further developed in a transition period so that their strengths are optimally combined with the Intera software from Rethink Robotics. The first studies on this are already running. "With the technology from Siemens, we are getting closer to the start of a new series of robots very quickly and will be presenting a first prototype in spring 2021," explains Daniel Bunse, CEO of Rethink Robotics GmbH, with pleasure. Dr. Rudolf Freytag, CEO of Siemens Technology Accelerator GmbH, adds: "We see great potential for success in this hardware technology developed by Siemens Corporate Technology and are pleased to be creating the best conditions for market success with Rethink Robotics. Siemens Digital Industries will of course continue to support the robotics sector with controls and innovative software solutions."