Siemens celebrates digital excellence with 2024 Techcellence Awards
Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced the winners of its second annual Techcellence Awards, recognising European organisations and individuals for their achievements in digital transformation, sustainability, and innovation within the Siemens community.
The Techcellence Awards, launched in 2024, highlight the contributions of companies and individuals leading technological change through transformation and sustainability initiatives, as well as those championing digital technology and sharing expertise among the Siemens user base. Winners are granted VIP attendance passes for Realize LIVE 2026, due to be held in Amsterdam next June.
Sustainability Impact
The Sustainability Impact award was presented to CEE and its sister company, Ray & Jules, for their advancements in clean technology within the food and beverage and building materials sectors. CEE has developed a high-precision continuous roasting process that reduces energy consumption to as little as a third of that required by traditional batch roasting methods. This technology also provides stable energy consumption, simplifying electrification and supporting decarbonisation.
Ray & Jules was established in 2017 as the first coffee roaster to use CEE's net-zero emissions roasting technology. Since its market debut in 2019, large-scale roasters and other sectors such as malt and cocoa have implemented the same approach. CEE utilises the Siemens Xcelerator platform, integrating its software, hardware, and automation capabilities to broaden the reach of its sustainability initiatives.
"Every day, our customers are writing the future of industry through groundbreaking digital innovations. The Siemens' Techcellence Awards shine a spotlight on these pioneers who aren't just embracing transformation – they're leading it. From sustainable solutions to revolutionary applications of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, these visionaries are building a powerful community that extends far beyond Europe. They're not just changing industries; they're changing the world," said Robert Jones, Chief Revenue Officer, Siemens Digital Industries Software.
Digital Transformation
Saab received the Digital Transformation award for its CLiQ project, designed to modernise and interconnect its IT ecosystem in line with its broader transformation strategy. Saab's CLiQ project (Cut Lead-time, Improve Quality) at Saab Surveillance focuses on building a more agile and interconnected engineering environment through enhanced digital threads and integrated product development. The results include a 50% reduction in product data management time, a 75% reduction in material management time, and the elimination of more than 70% of manual tasks, enabling staff to engage in higher-value activities and boosting company-wide productivity.
Community Champion
For the Community Champion award, Frederik Vanhee was recognised for his active contributions to the Siemens technology community. Vanhee, founder of theScriptingEngineer and a notable NXOpen specialist in the Benelux region, supports users globally through forum participation and resource sharing. He has contributed over 200 responses and 38 best answers on the Siemens Digital Industries Software forums. Vanhee's efforts include managing the largest public NXOpen repository, and he is acknowledged for assisting marine and offshore companies in digitising engineering workflows.
Innovation Leader
The Innovation Leader award was presented to Wolfram Kühnel, Head of 3D Simulation at MAHLE International. Kühnel leads a team specialising in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), utilising Siemens solutions to develop products such as the Bionic Battery Cooling Plate and the Bionic Fan, which have been showcased at international events. The MAHLE team employs simulations to optimise thermal management and e-mobility devices, working closely with academic partners and Siemens to drive technological progress within the company.
The announcement of the European award winners follows the earlier recognition of Techcellence Awards recipients at Realize LIVE Americas in Detroit. The awards programme continues to emphasise the achievements of organisations and individuals utilising Siemens technology to effect change within their industries and to contribute their expertise to the wider digital transformation community.
