The Next Shed by Eberspaecher business innovation division is further expanding its strategic partnerships in the field of mobility solutions. With two minority stakes in the start-ups Flybotix and Nüwiel, the emission control and thermal management specialist headquartered in Esslingen is opening up new technologies and markets.
The transport of people and goods between major transport hubs is now smooth and efficient, however, the challenges often lie in the "last mile". When goods are delivered from the distribution center to residential areas and thus to the customer, the efficiency and sustainability of established transport solutions deteriorates. In the industrial sector, low-emission solutions for the transport of goods in-house are already standard. On one hand, drones are used as flexible carrier systems. On the other, they enable facility managers and system inspectors to inspect machines and systems without the use of cranes or scaffolding. This is where the two start-ups Nüwiel and Flybotix come in: they offer CO2 neutral solutions for goods transport, intra-logistics and maintenance, in which the Eberspaecher Group will become a strategic partner in the future.
Swiss expertise in drone technology
With only two rotors instead of the usual four, the robust, compact and quiet Flybotix drone offers significant advantages in intralogistics and maintenance. Thanks to its design, the operating time is double that of comparable four rotor models. "Drone technology is already a fast-growing market in professional industrial environment and intralogistics," says Edgar Müller, Head of Next Shed by Eberspaecher. "In the future, it can be used for the maintenance of hard-to-reach machine parts and pipe systems." Eberspaecher is thus expanding its concept of mobility away from the road and entering a new area.
Climate-neutral home delivery
In inner cities or residential areas, transporting heavy loads is often a challenge. The electrically powered trailer from Nüwiel makes this task easier for delivery companies and logistics service providers. The trailer can be guided by hand as well as attached to a bicycle. Nüwiel trailers are already in use by various customers. Next year, the award-winning start-up based in Hamburg expects to sell a four-digit number of trailers. With its stake in Nüwiel, Eberspaecher is investing in sustainable Last Mile Mobility transportation.
Global Scouting Strategy
Next Shed by Eberspaecher follows an international strategy for the targeted search for attractive partnerships and opportunities for participation. Edgar Müller emphasizes: "For us, the technologies and ideas of the start-ups are decisive. We are networked globally, and physical distance is no reason to exclude interesting and promising start-ups from our portfolio." Now, more than ever, it is becoming apparent how efficient New Work is and how easy it is to bridge long distances using digital media. With its investments in Flybotix and Nüwiel, the automotive supplier is pursuing its clean mobility strategy and is expanding its motorized short-haul transport technology portfolio.
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About Eberspaecher:
With approximately 10,000 employees at 80 locations worldwide, the Eberspaecher Group is one of the automotive industry’s leading system developers and suppliers. The family business, headquartered in Esslingen am Neckar, stands for innovative solutions in exhaust technology, automotive electronics and thermal management for a broad range of vehicle types. Eberspaecher components and systems provide more comfort, greater safety and a cleaner environment on or off the road. In 2019, the Group generated revenue of more than 4.9 billion euros.