Balluff Becomes the Newest Member of the CC-Link Partner Association’s Board of Directors

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Balluff offers an extensive portfolio of CC-Link products, including I/O blocks, cables and accessories.

In this position we can actively help to shape the future of both the CLPA and the development of automation.

Florence, KY (PRWEB) December 04, 2013

The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) announced that Balluff, a major industrial sensor manufacturer with headquarters located in Germany, is the newest member of the CLPA Board of Directors. The CLPA Board of Directors is responsible for the management and strategy of the CLPA. The participation of this world-famous sensor manufacturer in designing the strategy and business plan for the CLPA will lead to an expansion of the lineup of CC-Link-compatible sensors. Additionally, the participation of Balluff will also lead to an increase in the awareness of CC-Link in Europe and the Americas.

Balluff is pursuing a long-term strategy of adding value to its sensor products through connectivity and systems integration, and as a result has been a member of the CLPA since 2008. To aid its development in China and other Asian markets, Balluff was also an early supporter of the CLPA’s “Gateway to China” (G2C) program. This is a CLPA promotion that helps American companies increase their business in China and the rest of Asia by using CC-Link as an enabling technology.

CC-Link is a high-speed, high-performance family of open automation network technologies, which enables devices from numerous manufacturers to communicate, resulting in a fast, deterministic control system. It is managed by the CLPA, the organization of manufacturers and users of CC-Link technology, academics and other interested parties.

Jürgen Gutekunst, Vice President of the Business Unit Networking and Business Unit Systems at Balluff HQ in Germany, describes his vision for the future of the CLPA: “Being invited onto the CLPA Managing Board is an opportunity that doesn’t present itself every day! In this position we can actively help to shape the future of both the CLPA and the development of automation.” Gutekunst says that to be a global player, you must be active in the ‘big three regions’ – Europe, the Americas and Asia – and understand their differences. For instance, decentralization of automation is well-advanced in Europe and North America, and in Asia it will remain an important topic.

Sometimes, there are different routes to the same end, explains Gutekunst. For instance, a low wage region will not be so focused on production efficiency until it begins exporting and must meet the requirements of its overseas’ customers.

On a more immediate level, Gutekunst says Balluff is already integrating the open gigabit Ethernet-based network, CC-Link IE Field, in its distribution boxes. “As a member of the Managing Board, we intend to work together with the CLPA on the market acceptance of this new generation of decentralized automation,” he confirms.

“At Balluff we want to be involved in determining the future and in creating impetus for innovations. The same is true of the CLPA, hence our delight at Board membership.”

Learn more about CC-Link products from Balluff.

About Balluff
Balluff is a leading, globally active sensor specialist and connectivity provider with more than 2,450 employees. Headquartered in Germany, the Balluff Group offers a complete line of high-quality sensors, position measurement systems, RFID systems and industrial networking solutions for all areas of factory automation. The company has been family-run for four generations and invests a high percentage of its revenue in research and development.
It has production and development locations as well as 56 subsidiaries and representatives all over the world. High delivery reliability and short distances to the customers are a matter of course. Production takes place not only at the company headquarters in Germany, but also in modern production facilities in Hungary, Switzerland, USA, Brazil and China.

About the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA)
Established in 2000, the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) is an international organization with over 1,900 member companies worldwide. The partners’ common objective is promotion and technical development of the family of CC-Link open network technologies – including CC-Link, CC-Link IE (Industrial Ethernet), CC-Link/LT and CC-Link Safety. The CLPA manages the technical specifications of CC-Link, conducts conformance tests, supports product development using CC-Link, helps users select devices and conducts promotional activities for CC-Link. Over 1,200 certified products are available from over 270 different manufacturers. CC-Link is the leading open industrial automation network technology in Asia and is becoming increasingly popular in Europe and the Americas. The Americas headquarters is near Chicago, IL. The key details for CLPA’s Gateway to Asia (G2A) can be found at the URL G2A.CCLinkAmerica.org.

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