The German Innovation Institute (diind) recognizes the innovation capabilities and forward-looking approach of this digitalization specialist for the manufacturing industry
Schwäbisch Gmünd, September 2026. The German Innovation Institute for Sustainability and Digitalization (diind) has honored A+B Solutions GmbH as a “Business Innovator.” With this award, the institute recognizes companies that embrace technological developments and use them to create viable solutions for their future growth.
For A+B Solutions, this award applies to a business sector in which innovation is directly linked to the competitiveness of manufacturing companies. After all, many companies today do not lack data or powerful software. The real challenge lies in meaningfully connecting existing systems with one another.
When Digitalization becomes an Advantage for Manufacturing
This is exactly where A+B Solutions comes in. The company connects digital processes across existing system boundaries and ensures that information is available where it’s needed.
The interaction between PLM, ERP, and MES plays a particularly important role here. A+B refers to this area as the “golden triangle of value creation.” When these systems are meaningfully interconnected, information can be utilized consistently throughout the process. Manual data transfers are reduced, thereby eliminating sources of error.
For A+B, innovation does not stem solely from new technology. What matters most is what companies can do with it. A good solution must improve existing processes and integrate seamlessly into the existing system landscape.
“A technology is of interest to us if it delivers real benefits to our customers. Especially in manufacturing, there is still a great deal of potential in better connecting existing systems. When information is reliably available and processes become simpler, digitalization creates a concrete competitive advantage,” says Ralf Stetter, Managing Director of A+B Solutions GmbH.
Innovation Capability with a Practical Focus
In its “Business Innovator” program, diind examines various aspects of corporate development. These include the use of new technologies and the question of how a company further develops its business model. The company’s digital presence is also factored into the evaluation.
For A+B, however, the focus is primarily on practical implementation. The company has been developing solutions for the digitalization of manufacturing for decades and understands the requirements of manufacturing companies from numerous projects.
Today, the spectrum ranges from machine connectivity to MES to PLM-based process chains. Existing ERP systems are integrated into the respective workflows. This creates end-to-end processes from the shop floor all the way to the corporate IT infrastructure.
Further Confirmation of the Path Taken
diind had previously recognized A+B Solutions as a “Company of the Future.” The latest honor as a “Business Innovator” builds on that recognition and places greater emphasis on the company’s capacity for innovation.
For A+B, the award is therefore, above all, a confirmation of its own approach. Digitalization should not create additional complexity. It should help companies better manage their manufacturing and use existing information more effectively.
A+B continues to see great potential in this regard, particularly in the integration of PLM, ERP, and MES. Those who effectively integrate these areas create a better foundation for efficient processes and for the further digitalization of their production.
