Prodrive streamlines software development with its own platform

A leap of faith, that’s how Ralph Stassen describes the step Prodrive Technologies took a few years ago in its development strategy. “We started out as an electronics specialist,” recalls the Motion & Mechatronics program manager at the Eindhoven-based company. “We added custom software and we’ve also been doing custom drives and mechatronics for some time now.” Within Stassen’s group, half of the turnover currently comes from the development of specialized mechatronic systems.

Prodrive is very technology-driven by nature. That sounds good, but it has a downside as well. Stassen explains: “Customers come to us with a problem and we try to solve it with the technical capabilities we have in-house.” That much customization means Prodrive had to build up very specific knowledge. So specific, in fact, that it pushed itself into a niche. “Four years ago, we started building up our own IP. We’ve invested heavily in a catalog full of off-the-shelf products. After all, with a good collection of standard drives and motors, we can develop and deliver mechatronic systems much easier and faster. We still do custom work, but since most of the building blocks are already available, we can move more quickly.”