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"We are everywhere robotics is used!"

Interview with Christian Ott, Director of Global Direct Sales at SensoPart Industriesensorik GmbH, published in the German magazine "Wirtschaftsforum".

Optical sensors are indispensable for numerous automation processes. They detect, measure, and check. But positions and more complex information must also be recorded. And this is where easy-to-use image processing systems come into play. SensoPart Industriesensorik GmbH is one of the leading suppliers of optical sensors and intelligent vision sensors. With its solutions, the company from Wieden in Baden-Württemberg makes an important contribution to successful automation.

"Anyone who has ever used our products is convinced," says Christian Ott, Director of Global Direct Sales at SensoPart Industriesensorik GmbH. "Since we are a very technology-oriented company, our sales department is also geared accordingly. It not only sells but also advises our customers. We are also very internationally positioned and always communicate with our customers in their national language."

Another strength is the focus on service for customers. Christian Ott: "If things get stuck, our application technicians also help and advise on-site."

In demand in many industries

"We offer our sensors in different sizes and with different technologies," explains Christian Ott. "For example, they check whether a part is lying somewhere or not, or what color an object is. Our vision products are about packaging complex technology in a simple way. The customer should be able to parameterize the systems with as few complications as possible."

SensoPart's customer structure is as diverse as its product range. "We are involved everywhere robotics is used," clarifies Christian Ott. Industries include, for example, plant and mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, electronics, food and beverages, and plastics technology. The solutions are also needed in laboratory automation, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, as well as in the solar industry and packaging technology. "Our business is becoming increasingly international," explains the Director of Global Direct Sales.

Family business

In 1994, Dr. Theodor Wanner founded the company, which at that time had around 50 employees and was bought out of insolvency. Over the years, SensoPart grew steadily, and the international orientation was also pushed forward. Thus, the first sales and service subsidiary in Great Britain was added in 1997, followed by France in 1999 and the USA in 2004. China followed in 2012, and Austria and South Korea in 2022.

In addition to the headquarters in Wieden, there is another production site in Gottenheim near Freiburg. The company, which is run by founder Dr. Theodor Wanner and Marius Westermann, currently employs over 300 people. In marketing, the focus is on establishing the SensoPart brand. While the company used to be represented at many trade fairs, today it is mainly the SPS in Nuremberg, Automatica Munich, and local trade fairs on site.

In addition, SensoPart is present on digital channels as well as social media such as LinkedIn. Sustainable growth "We cover our entire energy needs ourselves," Christian Ott emphasizes. "We heat and cool sustainably and use photovoltaics. We have also acquired our first e-cars, which can be charged at our own pillars. We pay a lot of attention to sustainable growth."

A family atmosphere, flat hierarchies, and short distances are features of the corporate culture. "We are almost all on a first-name basis and know very well that we can only succeed as a team. The people here feel the good spirit." For the coming years, SensoPart has set its sights on further internationalization. "We want to continue to innovate and already have solutions for e-mobility and battery recycling," says Christian Ott. "Technically, it's about simplifying usability even further and creating suitable interfaces. We are also focusing on the acquisition of new employees."