INFORM hires two senior managers with extensive industry expertise to guide AI-supported optimization of business processes. Mr. Bernd Heinrichs will now oversee the Inventory & Supply Chain division in collaboration with Mr. Andreas Falter. Additionally, Holger Robioneck will assume the role of Head of Production, succeeding Andreas Gladis, who is retiring after 36 years of service at INFORM.
Peter Frerichs, CEO of INFORM states, "Both new colleagues have extensive experience in leadership roles. That was a key objective for us. We will benefit from their entrepreneurial expertise and extensive experience in leading technology companies."
In the area of inventory and supply chain, Bernd Heinrichs believes that, among other things, AI will significantly impact software systems for sales planning, inventory optimization, and S&OP (sales & operations planning) processes. "It is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the transformation of a company that, like INFORM, is known in the market as an expert and pioneer with great innovative strength," explains Heinrichs. Heinrichs holds a doctorate in computer science and has 30 years of experience in innovation and transformation processes in leading positions at major companies such as Ericsson, Cisco, and Bosch. Over the past three years, he has played a pivotal role in the scaling and internationalization of two start-ups in the robotics sector, Wandelbots and Neura Robotics. "My goal is to expand into new business areas. To achieve this, we plan to modularize our business model, enhance it with AI and cloud applications, and collaborate with partners to promote professional collaboration. This will enable us to respond more quickly and align our offerings with market needs. Proximity to our customers will remain a crucial driver of our product development."
Holger Robioneck views the growing market pressure surrounding the digitization of production in mechanical and plant engineering as a significant opportunity for growth. "INFORM is currently the market leader in the field of production planning with its advanced planning and scheduling (APS) system. Going forward, our objective is to expand our product portfolio through the strategic integration of cloud solutions, SaaS distribution models, and AI technologies. This is how we will provide our customers with sustainable solutions that will enable them to proactively address the challenges of tomorrow," explains Robioneck. As a graduate computer scientist, Robioneck has 20 years of professional experience in leading positions at technology companies such as Soptim AG, the automotive specialist DSA, and the internationally active family-owned company Scheidt & Bachmann. His extensive experience in digital transformations and change management allows him to prioritize the customer at the core of all operations. He asserts, "Our close and personal relationship with customers is one of our greatest strengths, and we will continue to maintain and expand upon this as we navigate the age of AI and digital business models."
Robioneck is continuing the successful work of Andreas Gladis, who is retiring after 33 years as a division manager. "Andreas Gladis has helped develop our APS system with his commitment, experience, and knowledge, and ensured that it is now one of the leading software tools for production planning," says INFORM CEO Peter Frerichs, paying tribute to Andreas Gladis's professional achievements.