Automation in Germany
New rules, discontinued controllers and a shortage of engineers
German machine builders and plants face hard regulatory deadlines and a shortage of controls engineers at the same time, and are increasingly turning to India for engineering capacity. That is exactly where Wartens works.
In short
German machine builders face several deadlines at once: the EU Machinery Regulation applies from 20 January 2027 and makes software performing a safety function a safety component, the Cyber Resilience Act applies in full from 11 December 2027, Germany's NIS2 law has applied since December 2025, and Siemens moved the S7-300 into phase-out on 1 October 2025. Wartens supports them with PLC engineering, S7 migration, virtual commissioning and documentation alongside their CE partner.
Germany in numbers
The starting point
20 Jan 2027
the EU Machinery Regulation applies; software performing a safety function becomes a safety component
29,500
companies covered by Germany's NIS2 law since 6 December 2025
1 Oct 2025
SIMATIC S7-300 entered phase-out; Siemens recommends migrating to S7-1500 or S7-1200
+108%
growth in five years of capability centres set up in India by German mid-sized firms
133,900
unfilled STEM (MINT) positions in March 2026, 48,900 in energy and electrical occupations
225,000
new storage systems went live from January to May 2026, about 70% more than a year earlier
All figures come from the linked publications and refer to the period stated.
What is driving demand
Where automation work in Germany is coming from
- 01
New machinery rules
The EU Machinery Regulation applies from 20 January 2027; software that performs a safety function becomes a safety component, and cybersecurity evidence belongs in the technical file. The Cyber Resilience Act applies in full from 11 December 2027.
- 02
NIS2 in force
Germany's NIS2 law has applied since 6 December 2025 to about 29,500 companies, with managing directors personally liable.
- 03
S7-300 phase-out
Siemens set the SIMATIC S7-300 to phase-out from 1 October 2025, recommending migration to S7-1500 or S7-1200.
- 04
Standardised digital twins
The Asset Administration Shell is Germany's standard digital twin across Manufacturing-X projects.
- 05
Engineering moving to India
Capability centres set up in India by German mid-sized firms grew 108% in five years, now with engineering and AI mandates.
- 06
Storage growth
About 225,000 new storage systems went live from January to May 2026, roughly 70% more than a year earlier.
What we offer
What we offer in Germany
The services we lead with locally, what you get and who they suit best.
Remote PLC and controls engineering
Lead offerPLC, HMI and safety software in TIA Portal or TwinCAT, delivered as a fixed work package.
Best fit: Special-machine builders
S7-300/400 migration
Lead offerCode migration to S7-1500, HMI migration, test documentation and remote cutover support.
Best fit: Plants and maintenance teams
Virtual commissioning and digital twins
Lead offerMachine and line twins driven by your PLC program; twins structured for interoperability on request.
Best fit: Machine builders, Manufacturing-X participants
Machinery Regulation and CRA engineering support
Lead offerSafety-software documentation, machine cybersecurity risk assessment and update processes, working with your CE partner.
Best fit: Machine builders' design and CE teams
OT security for NIS2
Lead offerOT asset inventory, network zoning design and gap assessment based on IEC 62443.
Best fit: NIS2-covered manufacturers, ISO 27001 consultancies
Battery storage controls
Park SCADA, data integration and controller logic.
Best fit: Storage integrators and developers
Training
PLC (SPS) and SCADA courses at our Oberhaching training centre near Munich, in German; in-house company courses in English on request (edWartens Germany).
Best fit: Employers upskilling staff
Standards and platforms
Siemens TIA Portal and S7-1500, Beckhoff TwinCAT and CODESYS; IEC 61131-3 programming; IEC 62443 for industrial security; EN 60204-1 for the electrical equipment of machines.
Local presence
edWartens training centre at Bajuwarenring 1, 82041 Oberhaching, with engineering delivered from our India centre.
Questions we're asked
Siemens moved the SIMATIC S7-300 into phase-out on 1 October 2025 and recommends migrating to the S7-1500 or S7-1200. Existing plants keep running, but spare parts are becoming scarcer and more expensive. Planning the migration now lets you schedule it into a planned shutdown rather than migrating under pressure after a failure.
The EU Machinery Regulation applies from 20 January 2027. Software that performs a safety function becomes a safety component, and evidence of protection against corruption, meaning cybersecurity, belongs in the technical file. Wartens supports with safety-software documentation, machine cybersecurity risk assessment and update processes. CE marking stays with you and your CE partner; Wartens does not issue it.
Yes, where a machine contains products with digital elements such as controllers or software, the Cyber Resilience Act adds obligations including vulnerability handling across the product lifecycle. It applies in full from 11 December 2027. Wartens helps with the machine's cybersecurity risk assessment and update processes for control software; the legal assessment remains with you and your advisers.
Talk to us
Send us your code, schematics or plant data. We'll come back with a written scope, schedule and fixed price.
Contact us now