Altendorf Group participates in AI initiative for skilled trades: Exhibition opens in Bielefeld, Germany

Innovative strength for the skilled trades made visible – Altendorf shows how AI creates real added value 

Minden, August 25, 2025 – Artificial intelligence is no longer a topic for the future – it is already shaping the work of skilled trades today. The Altendorf Group, a technology leader in the field of format circular saws and digitally networked manufacturing solutions, is participating as a practical partner in the new exhibition “Getting to grips with AI. Shaping the future.” at the University of Applied Sciences for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (FHM) in Bielefeld. The exhibition is part of the KIDiHA (Artificial Intelligence and Digital Offensive for Skilled Trades in North Rhine-Westphalia) research project and was officially opened by NRW Minister of Science Ina Brandes. 

Photo: Opening of the exhibition “Getting to grips with AI. Shaping the future.” by NRW Minister of Science Ina Brandes. Source: FHM Bielefeld 

Focus on practical relevance: How AI supports skilled trades 

The exhibition uses concrete examples to show how AI can make operational processes in the skilled trades more efficient, safer, and more sustainable—from precise data analysis to intelligent machine control. As an industry partner, the Altendorf Group is demonstrating how digital assistance systems create real added value with its AI-supported safety solution HAND GUARD: “Our technology identifies potential risks at an early stage and helps to protect people, machines, and materials – that’s AI in action in the skilled trades,” says Ansgar von Garrel, Head of Marketing at the Altendorf Group. 

A concrete example of successful implementation is provided by the Müthing joinery from Billerbeck, Germany, which is involved in the project as a practice partner together with the Altendorf Group. HAND GUARD is in daily use there – and ensures a significant increase in safety and trust within the team. The employees particularly appreciate the early detection of critical hand movements and the automatic protective reaction with which the system lowers the saw blade in fractions of a second. The feeling of safety has increased noticeably as a result, the company emphasizes – a good example of how AI creates concrete improvements in everyday working life. 

Making technology tangible – for businesses and educational institutions 

Altendorf’s participation in the exhibition has one central goal: to make access to future-proof technologies low-threshold and practical. “Intuitive, robust, and economically viable solutions are particularly in demand in the skilled trades. That’s why it’s important to us to show AI not as an abstract technology, but as a concrete tool for everyday life and training,” von Garrel continues. 

Education, SMEs, the future – shaping it together 

The exhibition is aimed explicitly at craft businesses, trainees, and anyone interested in discovering the benefits of AI for themselves. In addition to digital showcases and practical examples, the exhibition also offers interactive learning stations and access to a comprehensive online platform: www.ki-di-ha.de/zukunftgestalten 

About the KIDiHA project 

The project is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia and scientifically supervised by the FHM Bielefeld. The aim is to support the digital transformation in skilled trades through practical research, further training, and technology partnerships.