Software Development for Industrial Digital Transformation | Siemens Mendix Explained

Magnus Edholm, discusses practical approaches to industrial digital transformation with Edwin Severin, CRO of Mendix and CEO of EMEA for Siemens Digital Industries Software. This conversation focuses on how low-code and no-code platforms enable organizations to develop software faster by bringing business and IT teams closer together. Severin explains Mendix through the analogy of visual Lego blocks—reusable software components that help build applications collaboratively between business users and technical teams. The discussion addresses a critical challenge: many companies invest heavily in industrial AI built on software foundations that haven't evolved in over a decade. Mendix helps organizations integrate existing enterprise systems like ERP, CRM, and PLM, presenting data in formats suited to specific roles across product development, production planning, and manufacturing operations. Severin emphasizes that organizational change management is often underappreciated when implementing new software solutions. He recommends starting with meaningful, cross-enterprise use cases rather than attempting comprehensive transformations immediately. The concept of digital threads is introduced as a framework for understanding business processes and implementing improvements step by step. A real-world example features a glass manufacturing company that used data and AI to detect issues proactively, saving more than 6,000 hours and developing 27 applications. The company moved beyond traditional spreadsheets and disconnected data by connecting machine data through applications that suggest process improvements and drive automated actions. Key topics include selecting impactful use cases, moving from disconnected pilot projects to production environments, predictive maintenance, and practical implementation strategies. The conversation concludes with advice to challenge organizations to move beyond basic reporting and explore how AI can sense issues, suggest options, and take action with appropriate human oversight. This video is part of LIVE from CES: Industrial AI in Action, a joint Siemens x AWS series featuring leaders, customers, and experts shaping the future of industry.