Prof Dr Sebastian Thiede is Professor of Manufacturing Systems at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. He is also head of the “Design, Production and Management” department in the Faculty of Engineering Technology. Prof Thiede’s research and teaching focuses on innovative technologies, methods and tools for planning and operating manufacturing systems/factories. Battery production is one of his main areas of application, in this context he is also a member of the Battery Centre Twente and is active in various national and international projects.