As an industrial region, South Westphalia has a strong focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). More than 150 so-called "hidden champions", i.e. companies that are among the European and global market leaders in niche markets, can be found in South Westphalia. The metal production and processing sector and the mechanical engineering sector generate 75% of total sales in the industrial sector each year.
They account for about two-thirds of total industrial employment. This makes South Westphalia not only the third strongest region in Germany and by far the strongest industrial region in North Rhine-Westphalia, but also one of the oldest industrial regions in Europe.
EDIH Südwestfalen provides a range of services and infrastructures. Small and medium-sized enterprises are supported in how they can promote the product-specific know-how of specialists and managers through the use and development of sound socioinformatics digitalization competencies. The focus is on the design of human-centered artificial intelligence, employee-based cybersecurity, and sociotechnical assistance systems. The EDIH will support SMEs in the transformation process in cooperation with social partners in order to maintain innovative strength in the long term.
In addition to various information events and workshops, the EDIH will develop demonstrators and prototypes together with local SMEs. The demonstrators developed can then be transferred to other companies and use cases.
The transformation can only succeed in a social partnership. Employees are closely involved and trained in the creation of new concepts .
