1. The document discusses how a value-added network can no longer be sustained by a single company alone, and explains this through the example of the MICA network where partners provide integrated solutions combining their own and other partners' hardware and software. 2. It states that such partnership models can create solutions that are more than the sum of individual parts, similar to the calculation of 1+1=3, and that everyone benefits when new building blocks are created. 3. Examples are provided of HARTING's development partnerships with other companies to develop integrated solutions based on bundling expertise and resources for faster time to market.

1. 1+1=3

2. 6|7
A new way of thinking is required. The
fact is that a value-added network can no
longer be sustained and borne by a single
company and its know-how. This becomes
clear using the example of the HARTING
MICA (Modular Industry Computing Archi-
tecture) and our concept MICA.network:
the partners of the MICA network do not
exclusively market the MICA product.
They do much more by generating their
own hardware and software. They also
provide system integration services to
their customers, combining their own soft-
ware with software from other partners,
and in turn provide customers with hard-
ware from other partners for further use.
This combines a multiplicity of knowledge
and experience into an overall concept,
thus creating synergies. The core of this
lies in the openness of the MICA – be-
ing a modular and open platform, it can
be configured with individual hardware,
freely available software and suitable in-
terfaces – depending on the individual re-
quirements of Integrated Industry. MICA
is designed in such a way that numerous
entities can make their own contribution
to it. Compared to the classical sequence
of development, production and distribu-
tion, this is a significant difference.
One partner’s solutions developed inde-
pendently in the customer project enrich
the portfolio of all the partners. These
networked building blocks of an overall
solution comprise the de facto benefit for
the customer. Complex integrated solu-
tions are necessary in Integrated Indus-
try. Generating these in monolithic fash-
ion exceeds the expertise and resources
of any single company. In addition, such
tec.news 33 | STRATEGY
The concept of partnership assumes great importance in the context of the
Fourth Industrial Revolution. While formerly primarily used in terms of sales
partnerships, today’s partnerships centre on companies’ value-adding pro-
cesses. Partnership networks are thus far more extensive and have taken on
a new quality. The question therefore becomes: What will future partner net-
works look like for Industrie 4.0? Also, what resultant benefits are generated
for partners and customers?
Uwe Gräff ,Uwe Gräff , Managing Director
Development HARTING Electric,Development HARTING Electric,
HARTING Electronics andHARTING Electronics and
HARTING Software Development,
Uwe.Graeff@HARTING.com
THE SOLUTION
IS MORE THAN THE SUM
OF THE INDIVIDUAL PARTS
A new way of
thinking is required.

3. an individually configured solution would
need to prove its efficiency in the individ-
ual project. But this is usually not possible
at all. This is where the partnership model
comes in, creating the tailor-made solu-
tion for the customer out of the multitude
of individual solutions – both quickly and
economically. Such a solution is more than
the sum of the individual parts. It borders
on a calculation along the lines of 1 + 1
= 3, since a new building block is usually
created which ends up benefiting every-
one. This type of growth is, of course, only
possible if all partners make a substantial
contribution.
SPEED IS AN ASSET
The goal of a partner network must be to
work together to develop an idea in order
to bring forth the corresponding prod-
ucts. This applies primarily to the origi-
nal standard way of thinking. Until now,
the conventional sequence of real-world
product development formed the basis of
a standard that was intended to ensure
product interoperability. Actual develop-
ment work could then take place, in order
to use this later as a company’s in-house
solution for the customer. This cycle, how-
ever, took some five to ten years – far too
long in today’s age of Integrated Industry
and Industrie 4.0 to be able to act quick-
ly and flexibly in the face of international
competition. Acceleration is achieved by
bundling expertise and capacities, which
in turn permits faster implementation on
the market.
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIPS
AT HARTING
An exemplary development partnership
is in place between HARTING Technol-
ogy Group and Polish company Digital
Technology Poland (DTPoland). The two
companies are jointly developing an en-
ergy management system based on the
MICA which not only enables the acqui-
sition of important energy data from the
manufacturing process, but also enables
the associated preventive maintenance
derived from it. Consequently, a solution
package of hardware and software has
emerged which can be supplemented in
complementary fashion by other partners
– e.g. system integrators – into a complete
system.
A further example is the collaboration
between HARTING and distributor Arrow
Electronics. This company offers an adapt-
ed and/or expanded business model: in
addition to actual logistics services as a
distributor, it also provides engineering
services with the help of the MICA, i.e.
Arrow Electronics in turn furnishes addi-
tional services for its customers.
This solution is
more than the
sum of the
individual parts.

4. 8|9
tec.news 33 | STRATEGY
The HARTING Customised Solutions (HCS)
segment, as part of HARTING Technology
Group, can to an extent be viewed as a
mini value-added network. The primary
activity of the business unit is to create
infrastructure installation systems. The
customer determines the solution, not the
provider, which in turn leads to the possi-
bility of multiplying the solution for others.
Here, a HARTING service in the form of
a connector is combined with an engi-
neering application – a cable that is not
manufactured by the technology group.
The commonality that ties them together
is the goal to generate the best solution
for the customer from among the compe-
tition. Here too, capacities and expertise
are bundled in order to achieve faster time
to market.
EQUAL PARTNERS
The key to openness toward partnerships
and value-added networks is the compe-
tition of expertise. Once the know-how
of equal partners is united, new ideas
emerge – which in turn allows other in-
novations to come forth. Ultimately,
competing for the best overall solution in
Integrated Industry also pertains to this
competition.
These networked
building blocks of an
overall solution com-
prise the de facto ben-
efit for the customer.