25 www.drivesncontrols.com February 2026 SPS SHOW REVIEW n The machine safety specialist Pilz is offering a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform for centralised management of machinery and personnel. The Myzel Lifecycle Platform will help production managers and safety officers to operate machinery safely, securely, efficiently and in compliance with the standards, throughout a machine’s lifecycle. In its first release, the platform helps users to manage their personnel and machinery, while complying with laws and safety requirements. The platform consists of the mandatory myCore module and selectable add-on components. Users first map their production sites digitally, including all machines and employees. Any relevant machine artefacts – such as operating manuals, certificates, logs or employee data – are stored in myCore. These can be accessed anytime, anywhere, via a built-in asset management system, improving the plant operator’s overview of their machinery. Initially, companies can subscribe to three additional workflows, on a monthly basis: n mySafeDesign This guides the user through risk assessments or validations for new or existing machines n mySafeOperation This supports users for maintenance and inspection in accordance with legal requirements n myAccessControl This manages employees’ entry and access rights Behind the workflows are various checklists and templates to keep a daily track of the maintenance requirements for machines, or the permissions and qualifications of employees, for example. This way, the platform contributes to a better overview and, at the same time, to improved production efficiency. A customised dashboard gives users a simple overview of the status of their assets, so they can identify where action is needed, if deadlines are approaching, or if evidence is missing. The platform also helps them to create evidence and relevant documents throughout a machine’s lifecycle. The templates comply with current standards and legislation. Using the Myzel platform, machine users can ensure that their machinery is always up-to-date in terms of safety and security. They can store documentation and digital artefacts centrally, and assign them to machines and employees. This simplifies their work as well as increasing safety and productivity through compliance with regulations. The cloud-based platform meets the strictest data security requirements and is certified in accordance with ISO/IEC 27017 and ISO/IEC 27018. All data is stored on EU servers. Pilz says that the platform will be expanded continuously with new functions. www.pilz.com/en-INT Digital platform helps to manage machines and humans Phoenix Contact forced to adapt to the ‘change in geopolitical structures’ Phoenix Contact is having to adapt the way it operates in response to dramatic changes in the economic climate, according to its chief operating officer, Ulrich Leidecker. Speaking at SPS, he said that “the market has developed in ways that are significantly different from those we expected in recent years due to the changing framework conditions. The current economic development in Germany is not a classic economic crisis, but rather a fundamental change in geopolitical structures. “Companies in Germany are having to adapt their structures in order to remain competitive,” Leidecker reported. “At Phoenix Contact, we have also been forced to adapt our company structures to the circumstances so that we can secure resilience and value creation. We are bringing our value creation closer to the sales markets and aligning our structures internationally.” There is no optimism in German industrial policy yet, Leidecker cautioned, and he complained that over-regulation is inhibiting innovation. “Even on topics that have been discussed for a long time – such as the Supply Chain Obligations Act and CSRD reporting – there has been no noticeable alleviation. This is necessary to give the industry the security to concentrate on innovations again. “We must learn to work together more strongly in order to remain competitive internationally,” he added. “The fragmentation of our industry and the multitude of individual interests make it difficult to set common standards and drive innovation.” Global challenges, such as tariffs and geopolitical uncertainties, are also influencing Phoenix’s decisions. “The political framework conditions are volatile,” Leidecker said. “We must remain flexible and adaptable.” The company is positioning itself for the future, and is aiming to take advantage of growth in global markets, especially in China, India and the US. It is relying on a balanced international presence to spread its risks and to create opportunities. According to Leidecker, China remains a positive market for Phoenix. “We are known there as a ‘Chinese-German company’ and we benefit from our long-standing presence and good reputation”, he reports. In Mexico, Phoenix Contact is investing in a 20,000m² facility, half of which will be used for production. This plant, well-connected logistically to the US, will play a key role in its future global production activities. Phoenix has also recently opened a new location in Vietnam that combines production and logistics for its automation and power reliability products. The location, with around 100 employees and state-ofthe-art manufacturing processes, will serve both regional and global markets. Leidecker emphasised that Phoenix Contact is still committed to Germany as a location, as demonstrated by an extension to its logistics site in Blomberg that is costing more than €100m – the company's largest ever single investment. This automated building, scheduled for completion in 2028, will provide 200,000m³ of additional storage. Phoenix Contact has not yet recovered the decline in sales it suffered in 2023, but experienced a “moderate” recovery in 2025. Leidecker expects Phoenix Contact to hit a turnover of €3.3bn for the 2025 fiscal year. “Despite all the challenges, we are convinced that technology is the key to a sustainable future”, he stated at SPS. He believes that innovation, cooperation, digitalisation, AI, cybersecurity and energy resilience, will be the levers for the future. www.phoenixcontact.com Leidecker: being forced to adapt company structures to changing circumstances Pilz’s Myzel platform provides centralised management of machinery and personnel
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