Software company Microsoft will launching a new lab in Munich, Germany.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the move follows similar ploys by Cisco Systems Inc. and IBM, who have also picked Germany to locate technology-focused labs.
Munich is home to a number of German corporate giants, including BMW and Siemens AG, while companies including Robert Bosch GmbH, Adidas AG, and a slate of mid-sized manufacturers are outfitting more factories with internet-connected production lines and robots.
Industrial companies have been keen to use technology to improve the manufacturing processes, according to Peggy Johnson, Microsoft’s Executive Vice-president of Business Development, quoted in the news report.