Challenges of system integration in the engineer-to-order business

Engineer-to-order (ETO) companies supply complex, highly customized products in low volume. They face an increasing complexity of their business, driving the necessity to ensure a proper interaction of the modules in the overall technical system and/or its life cycle by system integration. Despite its importance and proven benefit, system integration is an often neglected topic in the ETO business. This contribution aims to promote a more intensive discussion on the topic of system integration. Thus, it describes current trends in the ETO business and their implication on integration. It further gives an overview of system integration aspects in the ETO business and outlines current challenges of system integration from a practitioner's perspective.