Dear reader,

This is now the fourth issue of our Star customer magazine to have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because the crisis associated with the pandemic has had a catalytic effect that affects the main theme of this issue in particular: digitalisation. A concept that for years has been considered a megatrend, digitalisation has developed remarkably in the last two years.

Digitalisation now permeates the entirety of our day-to-day life – from private life to work in business and industry. This has positive aspects. Networked digital communication offers a wide range of opportunities by opening up new technical and organisational solutions.

That is why we, the Starrag Group, have taken the time to identify digitalisation’s potential. We experimented and finally found ways to accommodate you in new ways. I am not talking about the online meetings that have now become commonplace or interactions via social networks. I am talking about our virtual showroom in Vuadens, which has enabled us to take a big step forward.

We are offering you – and anyone interested in the world of machining centres – the ability to engage with a very special online experience that you will not want to miss. Virtual effects merge with the real world and all the while users can benefit from access allowing them to talk to our experts directly. This means you can get to know manufacturing solutions using Bumotec and SIP machines that have been directly tailored to your needs without having to travel.

We have also made use of digitalisation in the service sector. Since the middle of the year, we have been offering online Fingerprint for Heckert machines built in 2017 or later. As part of online Fingerprint, Service technicians record important machine conditions via remote access. The check only takes an hour and by the next working day at the latest, you will receive a detailed overview of the mechanical assemblies’ level of wear. This allows you to prevent unplanned, wear-related machine failures. Quality is assured, machine availability increases and workpiece costs are reduced.

But digitalisation has its limits. After all, we are human beings and by no means digital, virtual creatures. We are therefore all the more pleased that we can once again cultivate more personal relationships with you and that some customers have welcomed us back on-site to provide reports.