7th Innovation Day: TPV modules for the smart factories

At the 7th TPV Innovation Day, where TPV Group every year presents its challenges and achievements, and points out the trends and novelties in the field of innovations, the guiding thread was the smart factories of the future. On this occasion, TPV presented five modules for smart factories which are the result of their own development and as of today, they are also offered to the market.

Innovations are a driving force behind the progress, which they are very well aware of in TPV and therefore promote the innovation culture in many different ways, the Innovation Day being one of them. In his introductory words, Marko Gorjup, MSc, President – CEO of TPV Group, he emphasized that »in addition to the innovativeness, the efficient use of technology advances is of exceptional importance.« TPV Group early recognized the fourth wave of the industrial revolution and has already ridden it to the full. Numerous experience gained over the thirty years of their existence has been upgraded with the knowledge and skills of the latest technology. This is how the new solutions are born under the hands of its outstanding engineers. At today’s event, they proudly presented five modules for the smart factories developed by joining their own competencies and by cooperating with external partners. It is about comprehensive solutions that will not only strengthen their competitiveness but will also be offered to the market.

The fact that smart factories are a necessity and not an illusion was also confirmed by Myriam Dr. Jahn, CEO at Q-laud and one of the leading IoT experts. A debate on the importance of Industry 4.0 and 5.0 followed at the round table and points of view were also exchanged by Alexander Engels, Ph.D., CEO at aiXbrain and prof. dr. Niko Herakovič, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana.

The event’s participants could feel a living touch of what the future holds when taken into a virtual setting of a smart factory within the framework of a presentation of TPV’s five comprehensive solutions for the factories of the future which are already being produced under the innovative hands of TPV’s engineer teams.

The Innovation Day is not the only day dedicated to the innovations as every single working day is an inspiration to innovations. »I am proud to say that we have managed to create such a high level of innovation culture which last year resulted in almost 13 innovative proposals submitted a day by our employees,” stressed Marko Gorjup and added that “we have implemented ten breakthrough improvements and received eight innovation awards, the national silver innovation award among others.”

 

Every year the Innovation Committee selects the most impressive innovative proposal submitted by an individual and a team and grants them a special recognition. At the ceremony, Mr Marko Gorjup and Ivan Erenda, Ph.D., CEO at TPV d. o. o., granted recognitions and awards for the best innovative proposals. The most valuable innovative proposal was the BMW ALU Calibration Machine by the innovator Matija Požgaj. The award for the best team innovation was conferred to   Boštjan Piletič, Srečko Basarac, Dario Novak, Miroslav Kuharič, Alen Černelč, Boris Antolovič, Jernej Knežič, Matjaž Sotler, Igor Lekše, Mišo Pereško, Jože Pezdirc for the Universal Robotic »BIN PICKING« Cell. Both innovative proposals are in line with the company’s strategic guidelines and support its mission and vision.

In addition to the innovations and as part of their strategic guidelines the company also promotes further education of the employees. Recognitions were granted by Mr Marko Gorjup and Ms Martina Brec, HR Director, to all employees who finished their education in 2019: Jože Blažinč, Marko Udovč, Andrej Zorko, Ivan Radman, Gregor Žagar, Marko Krevs, Domen Škufca, Robert Strahinić, Jurij Kuretič, Mitja Glavan and Rok Turk.

An increase in the employees knowledge by learning, researching and exchanging knowledge enhances the competencies of the individuals and the company. With a view to encouraging such activities TPV has been for many years announcing the call for the Martin Sever Award for the best research thesis, graduate thesis, master thesis, doctoral dissertations, paper thesis and articles relating to the themes of the call. The award was conferred to Mitja Glavan for the best master thesis: Treatment of the riveted welds in the numerical strength analyses (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana).

 

In TPV Group they are very aware that the young are the greatest source of innovation and creativity. Therefore, they are connecting with the young from the local environment through numerous activities and so help create a better tomorrow. Given that, the event was spiced up by a young percussion band MUVARUVAGRUVA from the Music School of Marjan Kozina, Novo mesto under the conductor Miro Tomšič, who performed on the TPV products – car body, chassis and car seat parts that are essential parts of each vehicle, but for this special event they have been given a new, an artistic dimension.

 

 

 

 

ABOUT TPV GROUP:
TPV Group is one of the leading development suppliers operating on the global market of automotive industry. Their core activity, whose main driver is the company TPV d.o.o., is development and production of different components for automotive industry, such as body and chassis assemblies, car seat components and parts, and engine gaskets. Moreover, they develop and provide comprehensive solutions for production logistics management, where the automated guided vehicles, which are result of their own development, are one of the key products. The company is located in five sites in Slovenia– Novo mesto, Brežice, Suhor, Velika Loka and Ptuj – and one site in Kragujevac, Serbia. Due to the needs of customers, they intend to extend their production processes to new markets in the following years.
They are globally recognized as a development and pre-development supplier in the automotive industry. Their development services are purchased by most demanding OEMs for their premium brands like BMW, Mercedes Benz, Volvo, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Land Rover, Renault etc. TPV develops products which have a significant impact on the driving dynamics, safety, ecology and driving comfort.
The TPV Group is besides TPV d.o.o. composed of TPV Prikolice d.o.o., TPV Avto d.o.o. and TPV Šumadija d.o.o., extending their field of operation to sales of new and used cars, program of comprehensive services for car users and program of light car trailers. The latter are developed and produced jointly with the German partner Böckmann. TPV is also one of the partners in the development company called SiEVA, who develops technological competencies and takes part in various research projects.