Salz IT Solution has been announced as the new Lantek premium partner in Austria. The newly founded company takes over consulting and support for the Austrian customers of the software specialist for sheet metal processing and intends to expand its portfolio in the country further.

Salz IT Solutions founder Rene Gruber sees “a lot of potential for digitalisation catching up” in the Austrian sheet metal processing industry. He said: “Austria is not yet very advanced in terms of digitalisation. We Austrians are a bit more cautious, slower — and believe that some aspects of digitalisation are not fully developed yet.”

However, the market is currently moving because the Government is giving incentives to invest in computers and software. He added: "There are now a lot of funding opportunities that companies can take advantage of.”

Until now, Lantek's Austrian customers have been supported by the German office. Since Salz IT was founded at the beginning of 2019, it now have a contact person based in the Upper Austrian community of Ohlsdorf, between Linz and Salzburg in the Salzkammergut - hence the company name.

Salz IT is now one of Lantek's 24 premium partners world-wide - complementing Lantek’s 20 locations in 14 countries to form a dense network of advice, assistance and support.

Christoph Lenhard, head of Lantek's German office, said: “We are glad to have in Rene Gruber a partner who knows our programme inside and out.”

“He has an excellent knowledge of machines and technology, can develop customizations, i.e. tailor-made customer solutions, for our Integra and MES software modules and much more. He also knows our target group in Austria very well and can therefore seamlessly take over, continue and intensify the consulting and support for our customers.”

Mr Gruber added: “Salz IT does "everything digital. “From setting up PCs and telephone systems to installing servers, setting up networks and linking locations."

His customers come from all industries. He continued: “Last year we concentrated on building up our business. This year we will focus on the acquisition of new customers.”

Lantek's customers in Austria are mainly in the sheet metal working sector, but there are also tile and stonemasons that cut using water jet technology. Their size ranges from small craft businesses using only the Lantek Expert punching module, to a group of companies working in a network in multiple locations and with a tailor-made software suite of several Lantek modules.

Salz IT advises customers, designs and installs solutions for them, trains the staff and then provides ongoing support. All the while, Mr Gruber and his colleagues continue to be supported by Lantek’s German office and, if necessary, by the company headquarters in Spain.

Mr Gruber sees the benefits that in depth hardware knowledge at Salz IT can bring to both Lantek and Austrian customers.

He concluded: “We can offer the complete range and, if required, install computers and servers, set up networks and then implement Lantek's software solutions to meet the needs of each company.”

“We don't interfere with our customers' IT - but if we are asked, we can offer hardware solutions that meet the exact requirements of Lantek software.”