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“Enabling engineers to create great products”

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ForewordThere’s always a Logic Solution! For almost 25 years this mantra has been at the forefront of everything we do. Logic represents ingenious embedded solutions, made possible by dedicated and extremely talented partners. In today’s market, there isn’t a single industry that’s growing more rapidly than embedded products. And the increasing significance of the products that our clients offer to the world is the proof of the pudding.

Many people claim that the Internet of Things (IoT) is the first real opportunity we’ve had to really augment hu-man experience with the use of technology, but I think that’s an understatement. From the moment we started using computers, way back in the 60s, we have been interconnecting systems to make our lives easier. That’s one of the main reasons we developed the internet in the first place! That said, the momentum driven by the IoT is opening doors to two other, more significant, technological advancements: robotics and artificial intelligence. What both these technologies have in common is the fact that they call for the development of huge amounts of software. In other words, software will continue to propel technology forward.

I’m telling you all this for a reason. From the moment I started working at Logic I recognised that the company’s most valuable quality is its ability to identify certain technological trends and surround ourselves with the right intelligence. We’ve always managed to connect the market’s most progressive suppliers and like-minded clients.

People who work with technology are, by definition, forward-looking. But it doesn’t hurt to look back once in a while. Now that we’ve reached our 25th anniversary, I’m proud to say that we’re living the dream that our founder Leon Houwen first envisioned: to make embedded tools as accessible as possible. And we have you to thank for it. To celebrate this milestone, we’ve compiled this publication, Logic’s 25th Anniversary Magazine, a collection of success stories, testimonials, best-of-breed practices and a catch up with our employees, that illustrate what matters most to our clients, suppliers and employees.

Before blowing out the candles on our birthday cake, I’d like to wish all our partners and employees the very best. They have helped make the ride thus far so worthwhile and I hope they will continue to do so by ques-tioning conventional ways of developing products. I’m also extremely grateful to have such a varied portfolio of forward-thinking clients. I hope that in future we’ll welcome into the fold many more end-users that have the courage and foresight to look beyond accepted horizons.

As we all know, there is no standard recipe for developing embedded products. The harmonisation of hardware, software tools and software components remains a precarious process. But I hope you’ll agree that the perspec-tives, anecdotes and sentiments that you’ll read about on the following pages will serve as the ideal ingredients to dish up the best possible embedded solutions that technology can offer. Bon appétit!

All the best,

Gilbert Gadet, Managing Director at Logic Technology B.V.

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COLOFONPublisher: Logic Technology B.V. , John F. Kennedylaan 18, 5981XC Panningen, The Netherlands | +31 77 307 84 38 | info@logic.nl Editors: Joep Peters, Gilbert Gadet | Copywriter: David Widen | Widen your World, Haarlem, The Netherlands Photography: Herman Bouwens | Foto Kaldenbach, Simpelveld, The Netherlands | Design: Artline, Kessel, The Netherlands.

Copyright © 2018 Logic Technology B.V., The Netherlands All rights reserved.

Main Office:Logic Technology B.V.John F. Kennedylaan 185981XC PanningenThe Netherlands+31 77 307 84 38info@logic.nlwww.logic.nl

Germany, Switzerland, Austria:Bunsenstrasse 1881735 MunichGermany+49 89 1436 7945info@logictechnology.dewww.logictechnology.de

Meet the people behind Logic. Learn a little about their personalities,

their passions and what drives them to make Logic successful.

MEET LOGIC

MEETLOGICMarianne Martens 4

Ellen Peeters 6

Tilman Reiners 8

Angela van den Schoor 10

Joep Peters 12

André De Ceuninck 14

Tom Dohmen 16

Gilbert Gadet 18

Germie Houwen 20

MEET LOGIC’S PARTNERSDialog Semiconductor 23

Embedded Artists 24

Ka-Ro Electronics 24

Verum Software Tools 25

XJTAG 26

emtrion 26

Eiger Design 27

Datalight 28

LDRA 30

Arm 32

Insyde Software 34

TouchGFX 36

IT’S ALL ABOUT CLIENTSAirbus Defence & Space 39

German Autolabs 40

Siemens 42

Cuonics 44

High Tech Software Cluster 46

CONTENTS

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44

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First days at LogicMarianne is approaching her 10th anniversary of joining Logic. Even before her job interview for an administrative position she knew that Logic was a technical company, but she wasn’t deterred. Look-ing back, during her first days with the company she’s grateful that she was eased into her respon-sibilities gradually and was given plenty of expla-nation about its services and products. “Logic was and still is a small company at heart, so the lines of communication are shorter. I love the informality and I really value the freedom you’re given here to think for yourself.”

GuardianSeeing herself as somewhat of a guardian over the company’s external activities, Marianne double checks the information flow coming into Logic. And while she concedes that it doesn’t require that much technical knowledge, she stresses that she has to be very accurate. For example, it’s her job to ensure that the specifications and conditions for deliveries are correct, that the prices are right and that the quoted price is correctly documented

in the company’s CRM system. “Because we serve as a distributor between suppliers and end users, I think what I do is very important. It also means I have a lot of contact with Logic’s internal depart-ments, to make sure everything is as it should be. But sometimes that can really complicate matters because you’re involved in nearly everything that’s going on.”

But Marianne is not complaining, on the contrary. Even though she only works during the morn-ings, she feels she’s completely up to speed with developments at Logic, which is hardly surprising, considering that at one point or another there’s little that doesn’t cross her desk! “My male col-leagues probably think I’m a bit of a chatterbox and that I’m too meticulous, but the way I see it, communication and accuracy are a must for me to do my job”.

HobbiesWhen Marianne is not working she’s often to be found in her garden or at one with nature and wildlife through enjoying a long walk. She is also a voracious reader. “I read lots of books; not only romcoms, but thrillers and crime stories by the likes of Ludlum and Baldacci. But a downside of being a bookworm is that there are not many books left to buy because I’ve already read so many of them.” Fortunately, she’s also crazy about histor-ical and nature books, so she has a way to go yet before she runs out!

Marianne Martens

“We serve as a distributor between

suppliers and end users so I think

what I do is very important”

“The way I see it, communication

and accuracy are a must for me to

do my job.”

“I love the informality at Logic and I

really value the freedom you’re given

here to think for yourself”

LOGIC Employees

Name: Marianne MartensAge: 50Lives in: Meijel, The NetherlandsWorked at Logic for: 10 yearsPassions: Gardening, nature and wildlife, reading

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Previous experienceEllen has worked at Logic for the past 15 years. Before that she also worked in the technology sector, but for a company active in the metallurgic industry. She spent 14 years as a sales secretary with her previous employer, which was also located in Panningen. “My first week at Logic was a real eye opener: complete-ly different office automation systems and so much new information. On just my second day I was sent to Amsterdam to follow a course about our newly installed CRM system.”

ModestAt Logic Ellen likes to think that people see her as reliable: always ready to help colleagues out or take some of the burden off their shoulders. “But I’m not someone who relishes being in the spotlight; I usually stay in the background because I’m really quite modest.

HobbiesOnce a week, and as the only woman in the Logic exercise group, Ellen enjoys going to the gym to work up a sweat doing fitness and cardio exercises. “Phys-ical exertion is the ideal way to let off some steam after a hard day’s work.”

Otherwise she describes herself as a classic bookworm. She adores reading, every day if she gets the chance, and she consumes about three books a week. Nothing too heavy, like Dante’s Inferno, I read mainly novels from what’s called

the chick-lit genre. I like nothing better than enjoying a romantic comedy in the sunshine. It has to have a bit of a happy ending though, which is why I prefer American to Dutch authors.”

Think on your feet“Another thing I love doing is walking. I try to walk more than three times a week with a friend. Not just evening strolls after dinner mind, but proper walks of an hour or so. It keeps me fit and empties my mind. And you know what they say… walking is the best boost for creativity.”

Ellen Peeters“My first week at Logic was a real eye opener:

completely different office automation systems

and so much new information”

“Physical exertion is the ideal way to let off

some steam after a hard day’s work”

Name: Ellen PeetersAge: 48 Lives in: Beringe, The NetherlandsWorked at Logic for: 15 yearsUsed to be: Sales secretaryPassions: Fitness, reading, walking

LOGIC Employees

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Name: Tilman ReinersAge: 43Lives in: Krefeld, GermanyWorked at Logic for: 5 yearsUsed to be: IT Support EngineerPassions: Model aircraft, gaming

Previous ExperienceBefore joining Logic five years ago Tilman Reiners studied economics, but computers have always fascinated him. A pioneer of early computers like the Commodore 64, he even spent much of his schooldays engrossed in IT. “But embedded software is a whole new ballgame; the proof that there’s a lot more to automation than desktop computers. I’m from Germany and here at Logic I enjoy helping colleagues supporting our clients all over Europe and I see myself as a link for our German partners. It’s good for our German clients and partners to feel a bit at home in Logic.”

Problems and solutionsTilman provides technical support and sales support for colleagues who visit clients and he coordinates clients’ specialist questions, weighing up possible solutions and deciding which partner to involve. “We have to offer a solution to a prob-lem, which is often not even of a technical nature. Sometimes, just by getting them to explain a prob-lem and giving them a different perspective, they’ll arrive at a solution themselves. I like dealing with the whole bandwidth of embedded software and

hardware every day.” With the collective expertise of Logic’s partners at his disposal, Tilman loves being able to make the right connection to solve a specific problem. In this respect, as an interme-diary between supply and demand, he identifies clear links with his academic studies. “What’s more, clients’ questions give me unique insights into their projects, ranging from the operation of a new coffee machine to the fly-by-wire controls of an aircraft.”

HobbiesAt home, the pragmatism that serves Tilman so well at work is applied to his hobby of making mod-el aircraft. “These usually have to be put together according to instructions, but injecting a degree of creativity sometimes allows you to build a model in a completely different way. This is similar to the way I approach problems every day at work.” He also has a passion for gaming. He enjoys clas-sics, such as Age of Empires, Need for Speed and other strategy games, and sometimes he’ll play Starcraft online with friends. “But gaming is not an addiction; it’s a way of stimulating my pragmatism and creativity! And now that we’re extending our offering of embedded software, I’ll probably receive even more questions from clients. In the long-term I’d like to offer more technical solutions. My personal objective is to gain an even better understanding of embedded software, so I’ll keep doing what I’m doing, both at work and at play.”

Tilman Reiners

LOGIC Employees

“Embedded software is a whole new

ballgame; the proof that there’s a lot more

to automation than desktop computers”

“Gaming is not an addiction; it’s a way

of stimulating my pragmatism and

creativity”

“Clients’ questions give me unique

insights into projects ranging from new

coffee machines to fly-by-wire aircraft”

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Previous experienceAngela is Logic’s administrative kingpin. She’s served the company for almost 20 years, making her somewhat of a veteran, as well as its oldest employee. “When Logic started up we had the ug-liest offices imaginable. They weren’t great inside either; they were cold and rather smelly. We’ve been in our new offices for 13 years now and they are such an improvement; at least we no longer hear the mice scampering around!”

Before joining Logic Angela trained for a career in youth care. But back then there were few oppor-tunities so she moonlighted with a publishing company as an executive secretary. She really enjoyed secretarial work and that soon developed to include financial administration. She also held a job as an administrative clerk in the physiotherapy sector. “But all the while I was looking for some-thing more, and then Logic came along. It was my first job in the technology sector. I think my colleagues here see me as a sort of ‘Jack of all trades’ - reliable, accurate and well-organised.”

Work hard, play hardAt Logic, nobody minds working hard, but Angela strongly believes that hard work should be tempered with a social element. “And at Logic I’m like the social glue that underscores the friendly atmosphere that pervades the company. I’m often the life and soul of company parties too. But what do you expect? I’m from the Brabant region and socialising is deeply woven into our character.”

Music to her earsOne of Angela’s great passions is music. For many years she’s chaired and sung soprano in a ladies choir, performing everything from pop to classi-cal numbers. Coincidentally, Angela’s choir also celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2016, exactly 35 years after Simon and Garfunkel gave their legend-ary concert in Central Park. “Supported by a big band, we sang the same songs that they did then, but to a sell-out audience of 500 in the court-yard of a castle! It was a really magical summer’s evening.”

Food heavenCooking is another of her passions. Once a month, under the guidance of a professional chef, Angela and the other members of her cooking club will conjure up a culinary delight. “After a hard day’s work, my idea of food heaven is making a delicious stew. I also love soups. I’ll often bring fresh soup leftovers for my lunch to work and my colleagues tease me by calling me the soup lady.”

“All the while I was

looking for something more,

and then Logic came along”

“I’m like the social glue that under-

scores the friendly atmosphere that

pervades the company”

“After a hard day’s work,

my idea of food heaven is making

a delicious stew”

Name: Angela van den SchoorAge: 55Lives in: Heythuysen, The NetherlandsWorked at Logic for: 20 yearsPassions: Music and cooking

LOGIC Employees

Angela van den Schoor

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Name: Joep PetersAge: 45Lives in: Venlo, The NetherlandsWorked at Logic for: 4 yearsUsed to be: Event manager at Land Rover ExperiencePassions: Classic cars, alternative board games, mountain-biking

Previous ExperienceWith “only” four years of experience at Logic, Joep is definitely one of our newest employees. Having worked in the entertainment industry as an event manager most of his career to date, the world of embedded software was entirely new to Joep. And he was immediately thrown in at the deep end; during his first week at Logic he participated at the Embed-ded World Conference and Exhibition in Nuremberg. “Although I’m not particularly tech-savvy, I was able to offer our sales engineers an alternative and more creative approach to selling high-tech solutions.” What’s always intrigued Joep about working at Logic is that he and his colleagues have the future of prod-uct development in their hands. “I think engineers and software developers should take more credit for the beautiful and intricately designed software they produce. We are far too modest when it comes to marketing our product.”

Classic cars Although Joep likes to surround himself with tech-nology and innovation in his spare time, when it comes to technical skills, Joep is more a grease mon-

key, he loves riding and fixing his mountainbike and driving classic cars. “I have a passion for vintage cars and before I started working at Logic, I even owned a few classic cars myself, like the Citroén 2CV and a 1971 Mercedes 250CE. The next vehicle I’d like to buy is a classic American pickup truck. But,” he chuckles, “much to my embarrassment, I drive a very boring car at the moment. So, let’s move on.”

Roll the dice “Another passion of mine is unusual board games. Not your average board games like Cluedo, Snakes and Ladders or Chess; but ones that go by the names of Zombicide, This War of Mine and Dungeons of Arcadia.” The games that Joep is referring to are very specific strategy games that have multiple storylines, extremely detailed game characters and an unlimited amount of scenarios and game outcomes. “They are extremely interactive and de-tailed. Every once in a while, I organise gaming sessions with a group of friends and some of these sessions can last over six hours. Essentially, the game engagement is similar to console gaming, but instead of staring at a screen for hours on end, we roll the dice.”

LOGIC Employees

Joep Peters

“The embedded software industry is

far too modest. We are engineering the

future and we should be proud of that”

“Although I’m not particularly

tech-savvy, I can offer our sales

engineers an alternative and more

creative approach to selling

high-tech solutions”

“I regularly play alternative board games

with a group of friends. Some of these

sessions can last over six hours”

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database system. That wasn’t a luxury because, between the two of us, we had countless orders to process. After a while and some sleepless nights we started reaping the benefits.

What was your most-cherished memory?That was early on when we were able to convert a prospect like Philips into a client. With a company like Philips it was an achievement just to get your foot in the doorway and give a presentation. At first, it was painful to see that they weren’t convinced, despite the fact that, deep down, they knew as well as

I did that our product was better than the competitor’s. Logic winning that first order from Philips was an absolute highlight. It’s ironic that the clients that initial-ly give you the most resistance often become your staunchest allies.

What does the future hold for Logic?The company still has plenty of potential to grow. However, we must keep looking for the best solutions and, therefore, the right partners. With the right team and, providing we keep playing well, we’ll be able to score the most goals and win the match.

Any downsides?As a salesman it’s such a shame that we have much less opportunity to actively sell our great products. Nowadays people go no further than Google for information and they are less open for new insights. I want to show our products in their best light and tell people what they can do. It’s a paradox that it’s become more difficult to reach people and talk about the technology at our disposal, while technology actually makes it easier to do so. But there’s so much more to do. We’ve sown the seeds for the coming years; now it’s a question of nurturing their growth.

“You could say I’m a missionary for our technology,

selling my vision of it every day”

“ I want to show our products

in their best light and tell

people what they can do”

LOGIC Employees

A SALESMAN IN HEART AND SOUL, ANDRÉ DE CEUNINCK

WAS LOGIC’S FIRST EMPLOYEE. DESPITE HAVING A DISTINCT

PREFERENCE FOR LOOKING AHEAD, WHICH HE REGARDS AS A KEY

TRAIT IN A GOOD SALESMAN, HE LOOKS BACK BRIEFLY ON HIS

24 YEARS WITH THE COMPANY.

Is there really an art to sales?Selling is a very specific profession, which not everyone is cut out for. Believe it or not, you have to be honest. You also have to love what you sell, which is very easy for me at Logic. I’m truly excited by what embedded software can do; our clients produce controls for aircraft, cars, trains and air-conditioning. I graduated in electronic engineering and as a technician I’m always 100 per cent behind every sales pitch for Logic.I suppose you could say I’m a mission-ary for our technology, selling my vision of it every day.

Why did you join Logic?Founder and former Logic CEO, Leon Houwen was looking for someone to help him start up and I fitted the bill. I was selling comparable products in Belgium at the time, but I was frustrated with or-ganisational constraints that prevented us selling in Benelux. Within six months Leon had made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. In retrospect, perhaps I was a little naïve at the time, but I trusted Leon implicitly and his energy and ambition were contagious.

So Leon impressed you then?Far from being a mere entrepreneur, Leon had the ability to make you feel better

about yourself when he entered a room, a great characteristic in a boss. There was little about Leon that was ordinary; he was in a class of his own.

Describe those first few years at LogicIt wasn’t always easy. Having been taken on as a salesman there came a point when I had to justify myself. That first year was a terrific struggle. While I sold the products Leon packaged and shipped them and did the invoicing. It was vital to have some sort of an automated sales and contact database but at the time suitable automation systems for a small compa-ny didn’t exist, so I developed my own

“It’s ironic that the clients that initially give you the most

resistance often become your staunchest allies”

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“IDENTIFYING THE CLIENT’S PROBLEM

AND TRANSLATING IT INTO THE RIGHT

PRODUCT IN THE RIGHT PLACE GIVES

AN INCREDIBLE BUZZ”

And what’s so special about them?That’s a difficult one. As a company at the forefront of innovation, technology offers infinite oppor-tunities to update devices, so that they work like smartphones for example. And nowadays, with the future in mind, I think it’s fantastic that everything is interconnected.

What are your ambitions?At the end of the day good sales figures matter, so obviously I’d like to be successful within the team. I’d also like to think that in five years’ time we, as a team, will still be offering cutting-edge products and influencing an ever-growing market. We’ll need to keep a sharp eye on developments and respond accordingly. But advice comes before sales; rela-tionships with our clients and meeting their needs are absolutely crucial. It’s where we can make all the difference.

Are you looking forward to someone younger joining the company?Well, I don’t really feel that young. Hobby-wise, I have much in common with Joep, but he’s a bit older. It would be great if someone my age did join the company, but only time will tell!

What did you study?Electronics, with a commercial leaning. After grad-uating, I worked as a recruiter with Yacht at the engineering department. I wasn’t an engineer but I really wanted to work in the high-tech sector and this was an opportunity to work with people while maintaining the connection with technology.

How were your first weeks at Logic?A lot changed for me. I started in sales support to get used to the world of embedded software and hardware. During those few weeks I got to know my new colleagues and acclimatised to a slightly smaller organisation. First impressions were excel-lent though, and I liked the short lines of communi-cation. Despite my relative youth it immediately felt like a good fit here.

“ADVICE COMES BEFORE SALES;

MEETING OUR CLIENTS’ NEEDS IS

ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL”

And how was the switch to working in the field?At first it was mainly about getting to know the products and making initial contacts with their end users. I had to establish what our customers wanted to achieve with the downloaded software, what their problems or expectations were and how we could help. In the beginning, colleagues did the follow-up but I gradually learned how to do it myself. Field-work taught me how to respond to the needs of the customer, how the products are used and how to find the right people and the decision makers within an organisation. There comes a point when you say to yourself “Let me get out there; it’ll work out fine.”

Are you a product of the organisation, or have you added some personal flavour?While it’s certainly true to say that I’ve been trained by the company, I realise now that sales is all about communication, retaining an assertive attitude, and acquaint the customer with new ideas and new digital resources.

What do you like most about your work?Engaging with the client, identifying the problem and translating it into the right product in the right place gives an incredible buzz! At the end of the day, selling our products to satisfied customers is what it’s all about.

And what new trends can we expect?With displays increasingly being operated like smartphones, I’m currently doing a lot in the area of user-interfaces. Voice-activated displays are also gaining in popularity and these will fuel a shift away from touchscreens.

“ Offering cutting-edge products and influencing an ever-growing market”

TOM DOHMEN JOINED LOGIC FOUR YEARS AGO AND, AT 32, IS THE COMPANY’S

YOUNGEST EMPLOYEE. HE PROVIDES SOME INSIGHTS INTO HIS EXPERIENCES SO

FAR, HIS AMBITIONS AND WHAT HE FEELS IS THE FUTURE OF EMBEDDED SOFTWARE.

LOGIC Employees

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New kid on the blockAnyone who has ever met Gilbert, is unlikely to refer to him as a slick salesman. Rather, you’d describe him as a modest and atten-tive individual with a winning smile that can diffuse the tension in an uncomfortable meeting or difficult negotiation. During his first week at Logic Technology Gilbert recollects, Leon Houwen, found-er and CEO, led him through the still-unfamiliar world of in-circuit emulators and debuggers. “Leon was the embodiment of inspira-tion. I already had some experience with selling state-of-the-art tools, but Leon encouraged me to reconsider everything I knew about the embedded market. He took me back to the basic prin-ciples of technical sales, going into the smallest detail of Logic’s clientele and outlining the specifics of our products. It was an ex-hausting but very exciting period.”

Middleman of innovationShortly after that first week, Gilbert was confronted with the over-whelming scale of Logic’s customer portfolio. The company had only been operating for five years, but there he was, able to work with clients like Siemens, Nokia, Ericsson and Intel. “What I have always found so exciting about working at Logic is that you’re always in the midst of developing the newest technology, which won’t even be available to the public for another two years. Basi-cally, we’re the middle men of innovation.” That initial enthusiasm stayed with him over the years. In 2008, Leon appointed Gilbert to head the company’s sales department and gave him the clear objective to further develop Logic’s salesforce and growth. “Logic can thank a great part of its success to the fact that Leon gave his salesforce full autonomy over Logic’s customers and sales. I’ll always be grateful to him for that freedom.”

The man in the mirrorDuring his 19 years at Logic, Gilbert has experienced compa-ny highs and soul-crushing lows. After Leon was diagnosed with A.L.S., Gilbert met with him and his wife Germie several times to discuss the company’s future. One of the options was to take over the helm. It didn’t make matters easier for Gilbert that he had just two weeks to decide. “I told Leon I’d sleep on it, but to be honest I couldn’t sleep for several days. It felt like an incredible weight had been placed on my shoulders. Not only would I have to fill the shoes

of a man I’d always had the utmost admiration and respect for, I also had to decide whether I felt I was the right man for the job.”

But Gilbert didn’t make the biggest decision of his life alone. He sought the help of a corporate lawyer who’s dealt with many merg-ers and acquisitions in the past. Together with Gilbert’s wife, who fully supports him, they thrashed out whether he was indeed cut out to lead a well-established company like Logic. “During the course of an evening when we all met,” Gilbert vividly remembers, “the scrutiny and merciless questioning was intense, to say the least, but it helped me pinpoint my key strengths, weaknesses and key motivators.” One of his biggest fears was that the team would fall apart without Leon. But, as it turned out, it was the team spirit in Logic that helped Gilbert move the company forward. “I have to hand it to our employees, after Leon stopped working, their de-termination and support made me feel like I wasn’t doing it alone. They took much of that load off my shoulders and shared the re-sponsibility of keeping Logic on track. Ready for the future.”

The future is bright Five years later, Gilbert doesn’t regret his decision and he still feels that burning ambition he had when he first joined Logic. And that’s as it should be too, he explains, because he ‘s convinced there’s a lot more to be achieved. “With an annual growth of almost six per cent per year, the global embedded system market will be worth almost €233 billion in 2021. That’s because everything will be con-nected by intelligent devices. High-tech products are becoming increasingly complex. And a substantial portion of those products are prone to software failures.”In what is becoming an increasingly automated society, Gilbert sees Logic playing an even more sup-portive role towards its customers. “First of all, a developer needs to use the right tool for the job. Next, developing embedded soft-ware is like writing a novel. Even the most poetic of manuscripts will have some typos and spelling mistakes. Software engineers who write code are human beings, and human beings make mis-takes. Logic serves as a spell check, if you will, correcting those mistakes before their customers eventually manufacture and sell those products to their clients.” Gilbert concludes by saying he will always be gracious to Logic’s suppliers, who, according to him, always have been frontiers, enhancing technology. “Without them we wouldn’t have been able to assist our customers developing such wonderful and innovative products. When curating success, as Logic has done for so many years, it sure helps to surround oneself with extremely talented partners. We are forever thankful to them for their support and brilliance.”

IT’S OFTEN SAID THAT THE BEST MANAGERS ARE THOSE WITH THE ABILITY TO RELATE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES. GILBERT GADET, NOW THE FACE OF LOGIC TECHNOLOGY, DOES EXACTLY THAT. HAVING WORKED HIS WAY UP FROM A YOUNG, ASPIRING SALESMAN TO MANAGING DIRECTOR, IT’S SAFE TO SAY HE’S BEEN WITH LOGIC THROUGH THICK AND THIN. HE LOOKS BACK FONDLY ON THOSE FIRST FEW YEARS, RETRACES SOME OF HIS JOURNEY SO FAR AND EXPLAINS WHY HE HAS NO REGRETS.

THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME

A talk with Gilbert Gadet

LOGIC Employees

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Leon’s illness, they were also loyal during the economic crisis in 2008 and 2009.”

Germie recalls how, in the wake of the crisis, which also hit the embedded industry very hard, Logic had to cut back on almost everything. “We trimmed down nearly all our costs, but not when it came to gifts for employees and company outings. Why? Because you cannot put a price on employee loyalty. We’ve always prided ourselves on looking after our people and Leon insisted that we should keep doing so, irrespective of how much trouble we were in. But, to our surprise, in 2009 the team unanimously decided to put these extras on hold, until Logic’s financial situation had been resolved. Be-lieve me, I will never forget the love and commitment Leon and I received from the team when the going got tough.”

Looking back, Germie has difficulty pinpointing a single achievement that’s she’s most proud of. “Working from a spare room in our house, we started out with nothing and managed to fulfil Leon’s dream of becoming a leading player in the European market for embedded tools and software. There’s always a Logic Solution!”

NO REGRETSIn conclusion Germie insists that they could not have done it without the help of family and friends. “In the early days, our relatives helped us out with admin-istrative work. They even drove down to Belgium a couple of times to reduce the costs of mailing our packages,” she chuckles. A key part of starting any business is learning from your mistakes. Germie assures: “To be honest, I don’t re-gret a single thing. Every slipup we made we saw as a hurdle to be overcome on the road to success. Eventually you learn how to clear hurdles, however high they are.”

LEADSBefore founding Logic, Leon started his career at Philips Science & Industry. It was a time when Philips was working on a revolutionary technology: the logic analyser, an electronic instrument that captures and displays multiple signals from a digital system or circuit. During a trip to California, Leon met engineers from American Arium’s, a company that developed embedded instruments, software debugging and tracing tools. He

immediately recognised the huge busi-ness potential of the company’s products in the European market. He kept those leads at American Arium warm, long after he left Philips.

Germie remembers vividly, how, one evening after dinner she convinced Leon to start his own business. “At the time, Leon could not believe there was so little trade in embedded tools in the European market. I remember saying to him that if

he ignored his instincts and didn’t take a chance he would regret it for the rest of his life! That same evening, we penned a business strategy for the company, and we never looked back.”

THE ITALIAN JOBAs is the case with any fledgling company, starting up is the most challenging yet fulfilling phase of the process. Germie re-calls how it was Logic’s first international order that kick-started the business and provided momentum for many years to come. “We were sitting in the garden in September 1983. Business was quiet, which was usual during the summer months. But then Leon received a phone call from one of his Italian clients. Leon’s visits had paid off, they wanted to place a huge order. Leon had difficulty containing his excitement during that call.”

Italians are renowned for many things but, unfortunately, timely payment is not one of them, continues Germie. “The average Italian company paid an invoice after about 90-120 working days at that time but our suppliers, on the other hand, had to be paid in advance. It took some juggling and innovation, but we managed in the end. At the time, howev-er, we had no idea how we were going to finance that order.”

OVERCOMING ADVERSITYThe Logic team have enjoyed some spec-tacular highs over the past 25 years, but they have also been dealt two crushing blows. Clearly, Leon’s diagnosis of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) was a huge setback for both Germie and the company. “Leon was an idealist with unshakeable optimism that not even his illness could change,” says Germie with great admiration. “And his dedication rubbed off on his employees. Not only did the Logic team show great support during

LOGIC Employees

LOGIC(AL) LEGACY - THE ROAD TO SUCCESSAn audience with Germie HouwenTHEY SAY THAT BEHIND EVERY GREAT MAN THERE’S A GREAT

WOMAN. AND FOR LEON HOUWEN, FOUNDER AND FORMER CEO

OF LOGIC TECHNOLOGY, THAT WAS CERTAINLY THE CASE.

GERMIE HOUWEN WAS THE LOVE OF LEON’S LIFE AND HIS RIGHT-

HAND WOMAN DURING LOGIC’S START-UP PHASE. NOW, THREE

YEARS AFTER LEON’S PASSING, GERMIE REMINISCES ABOUT

THE LEGACY THEY’VE LEFT BEHIND AND REVEALS SOME OF THE

SECRETS OF LOGIC’S SUCCESS.

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About Dialog SemiconductorDialog Semiconductor offers power sav-ing solutions that are integral to some of today’s leading mobile devices. They assure unparalleled performance and productivity on the go. From making smartphones more power efficient to shortening charging times, enabling to connect the next generation of wearable devices, Dialog’s decades of experience and world-class innovation help manufacturers get to what’s next.

Gerard WoltersDialog Semiconductor

“I think what distinguishes Logic is their specific-ity. They have a software solution for almost any explicit request. To name an example: we manu-facture Bluetooth chips for one of our customer segments in China. These chips have a lot of bang for buck and to keep the costs as low as possible we needed a cheap but qualitative integrated software development environment (IDE). Those are hard to come by these days. Until Logic had us shake hands with Arm, one of their partners.

Logic is flexible, attentive, razor-sharp and truthful. Their word is their bond. And they have this innate gift of being candid without offend-ing anyone. To give you an example: our team of engineers now integrate software all around the world. We even have special field application engineers who support our clients with the imple-mentation of our chips in their designs. Because our engineers would be using Arm’s tools on multiple locations, we needed a flexible licencing contract for Arm’s development software. We thought it would be too much to ask of Arm. But not Logic.”

LOGIC Partners

A company like Logic depends hugely on its suppliers and partners.

Read what they have to say about their products and their collaboration with Logic.

MEET LOGIC’SPARTNERS

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About Verum Software ToolsVerum Software Tools saves developers time, effort and money when building soft-ware. It achieves this by providing engineers with the ability to continuously “test” soft-ware specifications and designs, preventing entire classes of defects from occurring and ensuring that many of those that do occur are quickly found and repaired.

Robert HoweCEO Verum Software Tools

I met Gilbert at the Hightech Software Cluster and we had an immediate click. One of the things I like about Logic is that they have what we in the Neth-erlands call “uithoudingsvermogen”, which rough-ly translates to stamina. They take their time and don’t rush things, which is rare with companies that have a strong focus on sales. In the beginning they patiently built up a good relationship with Verum and they’ve continued to build on it ever since. Logic in a nutshell? Friendly, informal, and a relaxed approach to everything they do!

Embedded ArtistsEmbedded Artists ensures simpler and shorter design & development cycles when using NXP processors. They provide reliable products, such as computer-on-modules with application processors and micro controllers, and they offer high-end services and technical support.

Nowadays, most companies developing em-bedded systems are being pressured to devel-op embedded systems with more functionality in shorter time and with less resources. It’s an ongoing trend that means we have to produce higher quality products in less time. That’s why it’s such a huge relief to have distributors like Logic on our side to manage our clients’ expec-tations and help guarantee a fast product-de-velopment cycle that’s of the highest standard. Logic has a product range that other distrib-utors can only dream of, and they continue to grow at a mind-boggling pace.Anders Rosvall

Chief Technical Officer at Embedded Artists

About Ka-Ro ElectronicsKa-Ro Electronics provide an extensive range of services for customer- and application-specific product devel-opment in both standard and custom form factors. One of their products is the miniature PC which is used by large organisations for mass-production, industrial systems and applications. Ka-Ro Electronics’ Computer-on-Mod-ule PCs are well-known for their extremely small form factors, standard pinouts, and very low-power consump-tion.

Theodor Ekkehard Meurerspartner at Ka-Ro Electronics

Leon was the embodiment of what Logic still is to-day: a free-minded spirit and a breath of fresh air blowing though our industry with the kind of crea-tivity that can move the market forward. I’ll never forget my first encounter with Leon at the Embedded World fair. I was flabbergasted by the amount of effort and creativity that had been put into Logic’s stand, which, I surmised, could never have been de-signed by a German. On asking how long it had taken to construct, I was dismayed to be told ‘just an after-noon’. Given our passion for bureaucracy, it would probably have taken the average German several weeks! But that’s what I’ve always liked about Leon’s and Logic’s philosophy: don’t mess about and always challenge the status quo.

LOGIC Partners

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The people at Logic Technology are the eyes and ears of Eiger Design (EDG) throughout the Benelux countries and Central Europe, and their invaluable support is unmistakably linked to EDG’s growth in these regions. During the three years we’ve collaborated, there’s one moment that stands out. We were at the Productronica fair in Munich together with André De Ceuninck. He was interacting with several of our customers in his usual animated style. We were amazed at his effortless ability to switch from Dutch to German, English and French. A lot of the people that visited us said they were impressed by André’s product knowledge and appreciative of his ability to inform them about our tests solutions in so many different languages. To be honest, we’re spoilt with a partner like Logic.

Tony JayTechnical Director, Eiger Design

About Eiger DesignEiger Design GmbH provides innovative functional circuit test (FCT) solutions for electronically printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA). These PCBAs are tested within a compact space saving J-Testr unit and are consequently tailored to the customer’s test requirements and test budget.

About XJTAG XJTAG (part of the Cambridge Technology Group) is a leading supplier of JTAG bound-ary-scan hardware and software tools. XJTAG products use IEEE Std.1149.x (JTAG boundary scan). This piece of software en-ables engineers to debug, test and program electronic circuits quickly and effortless-ly. It can significantly shorten electronic design, development and manufacturing processes.

LOGIC Partners

What sets Logic apart is their commitment to finding embedded solutions and their engagement with the international market. They are technically savvy and they have an in-depth understanding of the prod-ucts they sell. But perhaps most important of all, they’re a friendly and professional group of individuals to work with. Logic’s employees are very close and this creates a pleasant business culture that rubs off on their customers and suppliers.

Ramona MaurerCEO emtrion

About emtrion GmbH emtrion simplifies the development of innovative products. They rely on CPUs from NXP, Texas Instruments (TI), Renesas and Microchip, that are all based on the latest ARM-generation. They produce ready-to-use and custom-made modules and single board computers for companies in the industrial sector and for medical appliances. Their products and services range from embedded hardware and firmware design to software development.

Simon PayneCEO XJTAG

Cutting-edge technology represented by a heavyweight distributor, that’s how I’d de-scribe Logic in a nutshell. Logic has always managed to find strong partners that offer the most innovative and best solutions cur-rently available on the embedded market. It’s one of the main reasons why we decided to work with them. Thanks to the help of Log-ic, we haven’t lost a single sales pitch to our competitors. Moreover, Logic’s headquarters in the Netherlands offers suppliers a strategic market position and easy access to most of Europe’s important players.

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What makes Datalight unique?Well in a nutshell, what Datalight does is make data and devices more reliable. Not only is data integrity a hot topic these days, it’s an absolute necessity in maximising data protection and ensur-ing that embedded systems work prop-erly. The products we help to manufac-ture can be as ordinary as the software in cars or smartphones, and as sophis-ticated as the Intel processor you’ll find in factory controls, military/aerospace appliances, medical equipment and even in the International Space Station where in fact our software is being used. Our headquarters are located in a little town called Bothell just above Seattle, Wash-ington State, from where we deliver our products to customers all around the world. These are big brands such as LG, Symbol, Canon, Sony-Ericsson, Airbus and Bosch, to name but a few. Back in the day, we even helped IBM build the world’s first smartphone.

Has Logic helped you acquire this international prominence?Definitely. Having a unique product certainly helps, but we also needed a professional partner in Europe to repre-sent our services. We’ve been working closely with Logic for over 12 years now. Whenever I ask other software compa-

nies who represents them in Europe, the answer is usually Logic. It’s reaffirming to see that, after all these years, Logic is still an authority when it comes to distributing embedded software in the European market.

What’s their formula for success?Honestly? I think it’s their team that makes them the first choice for so many software developers and high-tech companies. Their employees are knowl-edgeable and their customer service is outstanding. More importantly, they’re extremely good at following-through with prospective clients. They never drop the ball, so to say, so you know you’re in good hands. Plus, they’re not intimidated by big clients, such as Bosch, Siemens or LG. As our sales representative for the European market I think that’s a very important quality. It’s probably also the main reason they have served as our springboard to success in the Ger-man, Dutch and Scandinavian markets. Remember, these countries are giants in the embedded software industry.

Is there a limit to how much market share Logic can help you acquire? This might sound very American and clichéd, but the sky’s the limit, so we still have a lot of work to do. At the moment,

you’ll find embedded software in almost everything, but even so, the industry is still growing rapidly. One thing we are noticing is that the Internet of Things is leading to an increase in data processing and storage. We know that our smart-phones process a lot of data, but even home appliances, cars and something as ordinary as a light switch can now col-lect and process data. What does all this mean for end-users? Well, that in future they’ll be even more dependent on the reliability and security of that data.

If your lights don’t turn on because of a data mismatch, that’s a big problem. Not to mention the possible consequences of a data misconfiguration in a self-driving car. Technology is getting increasingly complex, and the embedded software market is becoming even more frag-mented than it already is. Logic is in the ideal position to help curate the newest software solutions and guarantee a safer future of technology.

Their employees are knowledgeable and their customer service

is outstanding

®

Some key questions for Kerri McConnell

LOGIC Partners

UNLIMITED AMOUNTS OF DATA PROCESSING BY EMBEDDED, SOFTWARE-DRIVEN DEVICES CALLS

FOR RELIABLE DATA PROTECTION AND SECURITY. AND THAT’S WHERE DATALIGHT COMES IN.

KERRI MCCONNELL, THE COMPANY’S MARKETING VICE PRESIDENT, UNDERLINES THE RELEVANCE

OF DATALIGHT IN AN INCREASINGLY AUTOMATED WORLD AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LOGIC

TECHNOLOGY AS ITS DISTRIBUTOR.

In the light of data

28 29

The future is Logical Kelly remembers his first encounter with Logic as if it were yesterday. “It was a meeting with Leon Houwen at the Embedded Systems Conference in California. Leon made what can only be described as a perfect first impression, as he’s done since with many other people. His sense of professionalism has now been assumed by Gilbert Gadet and his team. LDRA’s partnership with Logic was bound to happen”, continues Kelly. “And ultimately it’s a win-win situation. LDRA has been able to grow its business in Central Europe and Logic has added a key niche product to their portfolio.”

Software symphonyAccording to Kelly, Logic has a competitive advantage over other software distributors, because they can offer clients diverse but integrated software-solutions. “In our increasingly complex world, Logic serves as a conductor to guide the tech-orchestra and create the best software symphony on the market,” says Kelly. The business opportunities LDRA can explore with Logic are endless, he insists. Business insiders forecast that the embedded software market will show staggering growth in the coming years. “But this isn’t really surprising, because we’re living in an increas-

ingly connected world. And this requires an unlimited amount of integrated solutions, which in turn require hardware and software development.”

Technology worth living forKelly is convinced that artificial Intelligence and smart appliances will further fuel this market growth in the next decade, particularly in the automotive industry, factory automation and medical appliances. “Just think of the opportunities that will arise when we start further incorporating technology within our daily lives,” Kelly muses. He does, however, acknowledge that many people are still apprehensive about new technologies, because of their far-reaching interaction with human experience. “Think of it this way”, he says. “Before any of these smart appliances are marketed, they can be subjected to extensive hardware tests, while software test tools like ours ensure that the possibility of a flaw is miniscule. Technology can, and should make our lives safer, but the bottom line is also that it makes our lives more worth living!”

About LRDAActive in India, the US and Europe, LDRA designs tools that automate software testing and the compa-ny is one of the biggest players in software testing in the embedded industry. Their products are used by software developers to test and debug software and improve overall performance. Or to use an analogy of Jonathan Kelly: “LDRA tools are like an advanced spell check for people writing code. Software development is a delicate process. Every piece of software has to be analysed, tested, synchronised with requirements and, in many cases, interfaced with hardware.”

Infallible softwareLDRA’s software analyses and tests are usually used by programmers who are developing devices that deploy so-called embedded “critical software”. “A commer-cial aircraft is an excellent example,” continues Kelly. “Countless software-driven components, like engine controllers, radar equipment, sensors and other flight systems all work together to keep the plane in the air. If one of these components or systems fails, it could have disastrous consequences. So, where’s the harm in letting an extra software reviewer, like LDRA, make sure that failures don’t happen.”

A LOT OF SOURCE CODE IS INITIALLY DESIGNED BY PEOPLE. AND PEOPLE MAKE

MISTAKES. GOOD THING THEN THAT LOGIC OFFERS ITS CUSTOMERS TOOLS

PRODUCED BY LDRA. TOOLS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO TEST

SOFTWARE THAT’S STILL IN DEVELOPMENT. LDRA’S SALES MANAGER JONATHAN

KELLY TOUCHES UPON THE IMPORTANCE OF “SOFTWARE SAFETY” AND THE

COMPANY’S FUTURE WITH LOGIC TECHNOLOGY.

the advanced spell check for software developers

LOGIC Partners

Automating Software Verification, Requirements Traceability and Standards Compliance

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Can you explain in your own words what makes your product and services so unique?Our development tools are engineered by Arm processor experts who understand better than anyone how to explore every hardware capability for delivering best performance and increasing developers’ productivity. With more than 25 years of history and dependability, Arm Development Solutions have been used in the creation of industry-transforming products that have sold billions of units, from safety-critical pacemakers to smartphones. What added value does the product have for your clients? The Keil Microcontroller Development Kit (MDK) and DS-5 Development Studio suites combine advanced tools into inte-grated development environments that help engineering teams speed up the design of reliable, high-efficiency embedded systems. Arm tools users normally benefit from 1) Being able to start software projects earlier, ahead of hardware availa-bility, based on the use of accurate Arm processor simulation models included in the tool suites; 2) Shortened software development time, thanks to royalty-free software blocks (middleware and RTX RTOS), smart debug and test automation tools, and functional safety qualification; 3) Achieving higher performance points across code-density, runtime performance and energy-efficiency, by combining the Arm C/C++ compiler and real-time power measurement capabilities.

What is Logic’s added value?Logic offers various tailored services in a very professional setup to customers in Benelux. They also have an invaluable network. Over the last decade, Logic has gone beyond the typical sales commitments and been keen to “test the water” with new ideas and sales tactics. This creativity is why it was awarded as the Most Forward-Thinking Distributor in EMEAI in 2016. How would you describe your collaboration with Logic? From our very first engagements the entire Logic team has been highly committed and open-minded in terms of how to approach issues and find solutions.

How do you stay ahead of the competition?As an industry, we continuously seek to accelerate the inno-vation cycle. We see this as a huge opportunity. As the world’s leading semiconductor IP provider it is critical for Arm to provide tools that simplify and accelerate product develop-ment. Our efforts focus on R&D to create productivity boosting solutions that fully utilize the potential of the Arm architecture.

And how does Logic help you attain that competitive edge? Logic manages to maintain in its traditional markets while striving to develop new markets and customer bases.

Will you be working together with Logic in five years time?As the world becomes increasingly connected, the need for embedded tools will increase. With the flexibility and enthusiasm Logic has demonstrated to date, they will remain a key partner in offering services to customers in their key markets.

Exploring Arm’s future development

tools businessARM ARCHITECTS THE PERVASIVE INTELLIGENCE THAT IS TRANSFORMING

OUR DAILY EXPERIENCE. ARM-BASED CHIPS AND DEVICE ARCHITECTURES

ORCHESTRATE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT MAKES MODERN

LIFE POSSIBLE. RENÉ FABRICIUS, DIRECTOR GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SALES AT

ARM, EXPLAINS HOW EVEN A WELL-ESTABLISHED COMPANY LIKE ARM NEEDS

PROPER REPRESENTATION IN THE BENELUX COUNTRIES FOR THE SALES OF

DEVELOPMENT TOOLS TO SUPPORT THIS TRANSFORMATION.

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Catching up with René Fabricius

LOGIC Partners

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First of all, congratulations. You and Logic go way back. How long have you been partners?Since 2006. I still remember the elation I felt af-ter pitching our business proposition to Logic in the Netherlands and discussing ways of propelling our firmware products forward in the European mar-ket. I was as confident back then, as I am now, that Logic understand our products and knows how to approach our customers. I mean, they were dealing with BIOS systems well before we launched our first prototype.

What software products does Logic help you sell?Our primary product line is the Insyde H20 UEFI BIOS, the most widely used UEFI BIOS currently in production. What it does? Basically, it starts up the most commonly used electronic devices. When-ever you press the power button on your desktop computer, laptop or mobile phone, you usually have to wait around 10 seconds before the device switches to its operating system and is ready to use. While this may feel like a lifetime for the die-hard tech-aficionado, those 10 seconds are abso-lutely crucial for our firmware to run the tests that allow technological devices to operate at their best performance.

What sorts of tests does the BIOS run?The firmware performs CPU checks, it provides hardware initialization, it monitors and manages the data flow between the operating system and device hardware, and it provides run-time services for the operating system. Apart from the Insyde H20 BIOS, we also offer a BMC firmware-based security solu-tion called Supervyse Systems Management, which offers our clients new levels of firmware security.

It sounds as if your products could sell them-selves. Where does Logic come in?I agree, we have good products. But a great deal of our added value comes from excellent service and support. And that’s where Logic comes in. They are an extension of our sales and support team and they are crucial in adapting our business philosophy to meet the needs of individual customers in Europe and the Middle East.

What makes Logic good at what they do? Firstly, they have a gift for making anyone feel at home. When I first visited Panningen back in 2006 they made me feel welcome in their organisation from the minute I stepped through the front door. It could just be a Dutch thing, but if you ask me, it has a lot to do with Gilbert’s talent for nurturing a professional and transparent business culture. Ei-ther way, their friendliness is extremely contagious. They’re just good people.

Is it difficult to stay ahead in a market that’s susceptible to change? Well, in the time we’ve spent talking, technology companies will have released numerous hardware enhancements, software updates and tool efficiencies that will make our lives easier. The market is changing minute-by-minute, but that’s part of the fun. To make sure we retain that competitive edge in Europe, we communicate with Logic’s team on a regular basis. While it’s true we provide innovative solutions, we also need great partners to help us meet our cus-tomers’ demands. And Logic does just that!

A QUICK LOOK INSYDE

WHEN A COMPANY LIKE LOGIC REACHES ITS SILVER JUBILEE WITHIN THE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY, IT FEELS LIKE REACHING PLATINUM. HOWEVER, LOGIC IS NOT THE ONLY BIRTHDAY BOY THIS YEAR. THE EMBEDDED SOFTWARE INDUSTRY HAS CAUSE FOR A DOUBLE CELEBRATION, BECAUSE INSYDE SOFTWARE CELEBRATE THEIR 20TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. BUT BEFORE CRACKING OPEN A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE, EDWIN BROHM SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SALES AT INSYDE SOFTWARE, WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

LOGIC Partners

3534

called Chris. TouchGFX’s main assign-ment was to supply user-friendly soft-ware that would allow German Autolabs to design a graphic interface that’s safe to use while driving a car. “We’re very proud to have had the opportunity to work side-by-side with German Autolabs. And we’d love to help them out with new ways of making driving a more enjoyable experience.”

Matching perspectiveAccording to Mygind, the Dutch and the Danish see eye-to-eye when it comes to business and this is a great help. “Gilbert and I have a similar take on things, which always makes it easy to reach agree-ment. What I like about the Logic team is their assertiveness, and the fact they

never take an unsubstantiated ‘No’ for an answer. They always offer alternative suggestions to our business proposi-tions. I guess you could say they’re more of a trusted advisor than a stand-alone distributor.”

Business road tripTom Dohmen is TouchGFX’s main contact at Logic and according to Mygind he has a very different approach when following up on business leads. “Recently we went on a business road trip through Swit-zerland to visit prospective clients. We even attended a HMI seminar together. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy the trip, it also turned out to be very fruitful. We managed to win over SDataway with our product and service approach, and they

are now one of our trusted TouchGFX implementers.”

Springboard to successAs a final note, Mygind expresses how he can’t think of a single reason why a soft-ware company shouldn’t use Logic as a springboard to acquiring future business. “They’re open-minded, transparent and a well-established authority when it comes to embedded software. Essentially, every software and hardware company that aspires to be a front-runner in the Euro-pean market needs a partner like Logic to help them become one.”

WHETHER IT’S E-BIKE DISPLAYS, STUNNING SMART

WATCHES, CONTROL PADS FOR HOME SECURITY

SYSTEMS OR USER-INTERFACE (UI)

APPLICATIONS IN HEALTHCARE, TOUCHGFX

UI IS THE ICING ON THE CAKE FOR MANY

SMART-DEVICES AND EMBEDDED TOOLS.

TOUCHGFX’S JØRGEN MYGIND EXPLAINS

WHY HE THINKS EVERY SOFTWARE

COMPANY SHOULD HAVE A TRUSTED

ADVISOR LIKE LOGIC AT THEIR SIDE.

Head-startIntelligent controls and crisp design made accessible to clients from any industry, is how Mygind, Business Devel-opment Manager at TouchGFX’, describes the company’s main Unique Selling Point. Headquartered in Denmark, TouchGFX started working with Logic in late 2016. “We’re a bit of a newcomer in the global embedded software market, but Logic has certainly given us a head-start and prominence in Central Europe,” Mygind explains.

Custom-built UIGerman Autolabs was one of the first clients that Logic introduced to TouchG-FX. In 2017 Autolabs launched a cleverly constructed digital co-driver device

A heart-to-heart with TouchGFX, the new kid in town

LOGIC Partners

USERFRIENDLYUI

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LOGIC Clients

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The fact that we are celebrating 25 years of Logic Solutions confirms that we have being

doing things right. But don’t just take our word for it, read some of our clients’ endorsements.

IT’S ALLABOUT CLIENTS

The ChallengeThe project ‘Columbus Solid State Disk Video Recorder’ (COL-SSD) replaces the old video tape recorders on Columbus, the European science laboratory module that is part of the International Space Station (ISS). The system is intended for recording High Definition and Standard Definition video, but it is also capable of storing high-rata data bit streams from scientific payloads prior to being transmitted on a downlink to a ground station.

In the center of the COL-SSD a 32-bit SPARC processor controls an array of 128 Giga Byte raw NAND-Flash memory through which (video) data is being streamed in real time. The memory is key to the flawless operation of the recorder over its expected lifetime use in ISS. In order to maximize NAND-flash lifetime, the data needs to be spread evenly across all memory cells. Since raw NAND-flash relies on a flash media driver to take care of this as well of performing bad-block management, it puts a load on the CPU. Since the data potentially needs to be stored on the SSD, a reliable file system is an additional requirement but one that also steals cycles from the CPU and can cause to system to enter an undefined state after a sudden power loss.

The Logic Solution with Datalight products“As we discussed our needs and requirements with Logic Tech-nology, they suggested the Datalight FlashFX Tera flash media driver software in combination with their Reliance Nitro high performance file system. These solutions fit seamlessly into the VxWorks operating system. Further it supported the necessary storage size and the requirements with respect to reliability – especially the requirements regarding file system integrity under all circumstances, even if power fails during write opera-tion. The software was configurable to be tailored to the needs of the COL-SSD’s very special hardware architecture.”

The Customer Payoff“The solution fulfilled the expectations. Extensive testing (as it is usual for spaceflight equipment) proved that all requirements have been met or exceeded. Especially the all-time file system integrity was impressive”.

“Scientific video and data of ISS experiments are of very high value, as many experiments can be carried out only once due to limited number of samples or crew time (the samples have to be uploaded by space vehicles which are quite limited). Thus, under any circumstances the scientific data must not get lost or corrupted. A reliable data recorder is therefore a crucial ingredient of any data management system. The solution prod-ucts have been very beneficial in achieving these challenging requirements. The product behaved as required. The close cooperation between our local development team, the Datalight support team and Logic Technology during the entire project was another factor that contributed to our joined success.”

DATALIGHT AND AIRBUS DEFENCE & SPACE STREAM VIDEOFROM INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

A LOGIC SOLUTION:

By Sven Rakers, Project manager COL DMS Enhancements

A short introduction Distracted driving kills more people on the road than alcohol. That’s a fact, and one which fright-ens Weissert. So much so he and his team have invented an easy-to-use device that does almost everything for you while driving. “Chris is your co-driver on the road,” explains Weissert, “it can manage your phone calls, play music, send and receive messages and navigate to wherever you need to be. You can interact with your smart-phone services without actually having to press a single button on your phone. Chris does it for you. It’s all integrated within Chris’ one-touch display and voice recognition software. Eventually, Chris has the capability to make the road a safer and more interesting environment.”

A Logical fitTo develop the user interface for Chris’ one-touch display, German Autolabs contacted Logic to find a suitable match for them to develop bug-free software for the User Interface (UI). “The UI needed to be close to flawless. Safety has always been our main priority. A driver should never feel stuck because of software mismatches. We needed simplicity. And TouchGFX was able to offer us just that. The graphical interface is clean and simple, and so far, we’ve experienced zero malfunctions.” According to Weissert, German Autolabs wouldn’t have found a partner like TouchGFX as quickly as they did, without the help of Logic. “With an in-novative product like Chris, product development needs to be a speedy process. Logic was able to handle quickly, effectively and elegantly.”

After Logic helped German Autolabs with the licensing of TouchGFX’s software and set up all the necessary contracts, it was time for the most

important part of the cooperation: implementing the software. “When programming a particu-lar product, you can get caught up in your own little bubble,” continues Weissert, “it helps if you have an extra pair of eyes to look at the product critically, and offer support with the necessary software. Working together with TouchGFX and Logic has given us so much extra input for future improvements of the product.”

Self-driving cars: fact or fictionWill we have self-driving cars that obey every voice command or gesture you make in the near future? Well, it sounds like a scene from the new Star Wars film, but Weissert reckons we’re not too far from it becoming a reality. Chris is definitely a first step towards interactive smart driving. But it’ll take a while before people get used to fully-autonomous cars. “The tech-industry might be ready in ten years time, but it’ll take another fifty years before it becomes ubiquitous.” According to Weissert, there’s always a lot of resistance towards tech-nological advancements that could have a great impact on our way of life. People are often scared of the fact technology is so incorporated within our lives. “But give it time,” reassures Weissert. “After all”, he concludes, “as … once said: as long as something is called a technology, it’s simply not ready for the user. As soon as innovation has reached a proper maturity we tend to give it a name.” It’s a good thing German Autolabs has given us a clue what we should call their new smart car assistant.

Meet Chris: the co-driver for your car

“AS LONG AS SOMETHING IS CALLED A TECHNOLOGY, IT’S

SIMPLY NOT READY FOR THE USER”, … ONCE CLAIMED.

ALTHOUGH THIS ISN’T NECESSARILY A BAD THING, IT’S A

GOOD THING WE HAVE COMPANIES LIKE GERMAN AUTOLABS

WHO DO THEIR UTMOST BEST TO PAVE THE ROAD TOWARDS

MORE ACCESSIBLE AND USER-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGICAL

ADVANCEMENTS. IN THE SUMMER OF 2018 THEY’LL LAUNCH

THE WORLD’S FIRST DIGITAL ASSISTANT FOR DRIVERS.

PATRICK WEISSERT, CPO OF GERMAN AUTOLABS, CALLS IT:

“A NEW WAY OF INTERACTING WITH YOUR CAR.” WELL, WE

LIKE TO REFER TO THE DEVICE BY ITS ACTUAL NAME: CHRIS.

NOW LET’S GET ACQUAINTED!

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year support period and an almost infallible system are among the minimum requirements of our IPCs. And to meet these requirements Siemens relies on sound suppliers, like Logic. Peschmann: Another huge selling point of Logic is their speed. Whenever we have a hitch, Logic’s response is prompt and direct. We have always been astounded at Logic’s ability to find the right solution to any techni-cal problem. Plus, most of Logic’s employees are fluent in German. This not only make us and our clients feel at home when we talk to the people at Logic, it also saves many hours when setting up contracts and writing emails.

How does Logic add value? Köppel: In a nutshell, Logic has increased our efficiency and effectivity. They have helped us integrate the SPI Flash Emulator into our tool chain. Basically, this is a flash emulator which aids in the development of software and saves us an incredible amount of time. Normally, it takes around four minutes to program a flash chip. But with the SPI Flash Emulator, we’ve been able to drastically reduce this to four seconds.

What would you like to accomplish with Logic in future? Peschmann: Time is of the essence at Siemens. As is the case with the SPI Flash Emulator, I think Logic’s added value also lies in the fact they can make our software development even faster than it already is. An ongoing trend at the moment is to transfer big data to cloud solutions. This will have a huge impact on the way we work and how our IPCs will mature in the coming years. All the more reason then to surround ourselves with reliable allies like Logic and Insyde Software. Allies that can really help us make a difference in our market.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

When and how did Logic first enter the picture at Siemens? Köppel: Siemens and Logic have worked side-by-side for over 10 years, ever since we first started developing the industrial PC (IPC) in Karlsruhe. IPCs are specially designed com-puters that are extraordinarily reliable and capable of withstanding very demanding fac-tory use and conditions. We produce IPCs for customers across Germany and the rest of the world. A few years ago, we decided to change our IPC BIOS from Legacy- to UEFI-based firmware. That’s when Logic introduced us to Insyde Software, one of their partners, who helped us develop the BIOS-firmware for our IPCs. Insyde’s product line was exactly what we were looking for. I suppose you could say that Logic was in the right place at the right time.

What makes Logic unique? Köppel: Logic understands the urgency felt by our customers, many of which rely on our computers to keep their assembly lines run-ning as smoothly as possible. That’s why at Siemens we do everything it takes to guaran-tee the highest levels of quality and reliability. Our customers cannot afford mistakes. EMC- resistant drive systems, 24/7 support, an 11-

FEW MANUFACTURERS HAVE SHAPED THE MARKET FOR INDUSTRIAL COMPUTERS

MORE THAN SIEMENS. THE COMPANY HAS BEEN A PIONEER IN THIS FIELD FOR ALMOST

20 YEARS, RELYING ON LOGIC’S SERVICES FOR OVER 10 OF THOSE. SIEMENS’ SIMAT-

IC IPC INTEGRATED PRODUCT SERIES OFFERS USERS MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE WITH

CUTTING-EDGE INTEL PROCESSOR TECHNOLOGY. SIEMENS’ ROLF KÖPPEL,

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRMWARE AND STEFFEN PESCHMANN PRODUCT MANAGER

OF THESE COMPUTING GIANTS, EXPLAIN HOW LOGIC HAS HELPED SIEMENS

ACQUIRE AND MAINTAIN ITS ENVIABLE REPUTATION IN THIS FIELD.

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field of civil and military aviation, we have noticed that our field is becoming increasingly important. The more our lives become intertwined with technology, the more safety precautions must be met during the development of that technology. In other words, writing code then proofreading that same line of code have become equally important.

You teamed up with Logic recently. Where you facing a problem that spurred you to do so?

We were developing an electronic control unit that regulates secondary control systems on a commercial aircraft. Among other things, this unit manages the aircraft’s flap systems and spoilers. The software that runs on the unit has to be infal-lible, which is why we perform multiple software tests and verification measures to guarantee optimum reliability. However, it’s become almost impossible to test all this software manually. We needed a reliable verification tool chain capable of automating the process. Not many companies offer such a specific tool. But LDRA, which is also one of Logic’s suppliers, does.

Apart from a far-reaching network of suppliers, what other added value does Logic offer?

What most people don’t understand, is that in our industry, finding a suitable supplier isn’t simply a question of typing the right keywords in a search. The embedded software industry is highly spe-cialised. Without Logic’s help, it would have been

impossible for us to find a supplier that fits our needs as well as LDRA does. Logic are excellent in finding a match between supply and demand. Sure, that’s what distributors do anyway you might argue, but there’s more to it than you might think. A good analogy is buying a house. Buyers don’t just base their decision on price and location; there are dozens of other factors that influence their eventual choice. I guess you can compare Logic to a highly professional estate agent; one that listens to a client’s particular requirements then connects them to the right supplier.

Looking ahead, is there a specific trend we can look forward too?

The biggest challenge facing any software develop-er is to make the simplest functionality as reliable as possible. In the mid-term, we’ll see a lot more heterogeneous, multicore chip architectures. So, instead of fitting different processors and FPGAs from various developers side-by-side on different chips, they will be integrated onto the same chip. But while this offers many advantages, such as a faster development cycle and spatial efficiencies, it also poses a new set of challenges. The more we integrate technology within one specific system, the harder it becomes to verify that the system is a 100 per cent fool-proof. Verification tools are the future; that much I can say for certain.

putting the safety back into softwareA PIECE OF SOFTWARE MIGHT LOOK SIMPLE ON THE SURFACE, BUT IT’S PROBABLY GONE

THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE CODING AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, EXTENSIVE TESTING.

FORTUNATELY, THE GERMAN COMPANY CUONICS, ONE OF LOGIC’S LATEST PARTNERS,

HAS THE LATTER WELL COVERED. CUONICS’ HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT GERALD THONIGS

THROWS SOME LIGHT ON THE UNIQUE ROLE THAT LOGIC PLAYS IN THE MARKET AND EX-

PLAINS WHY A NEW TREND WILL DRIVE THE FUTURE OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT.

construction. In today’s market, hardware has be-come extremely reliant on its software. That means all the functionalities of a piece of software must be in order before it is integrated within a particular system. Especially if you’re dealing with technolo-gy that could have disastrous consequences when things go wrong.

It sounds like you have a niche product. Is that the case?

Yes and no. While it’s true we offer explicit hardware analyses and software testing to customers in the

First of all, tell us briefly what Cuonics does.

Our main focus is the development of safety-critical airborne hardware and software that’s up to the highest design assurance level (DAL A). We offer hardware, FPGA and mechanics development, all under one roof. This allows us to address the challenges of safety-critical systems with heteroge-neous architectures. For software, we follow RTCA DO-178C. We also offer system development based on SAE ARP4754A / ARP4761, safety analyses, FPGA design based on RTCA DO-254, environmental simulation tests based on RTCA DO-160, and test rig

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Where did the idea come from?The Software Cluster is part of Brainport Eindhoven. A few years ago, we organised a get-together of start-ups and IT experts at Brainport, to stimu-late ideas and exchange thoughts. That’s when we realised that the high-tech software market, which is today’s fastest growing market, is a relatively closed industry. Most software companies have their own niche in which they differentiate themselves from the competition. Don’t get me wrong, this is a good thing. But if you invite all levels of expertise and as-semble them under one roof, there’s a good chance it will stimulate a new kind of excellence. By cluster-ing talent, we can create a “software synergy” that will be beneficial to all members.

Software synergy… that sounds like a buzz-word? Do you have a practical example? The trick is to identify similar streams of supply and demand and find a way to cherry pick the best practices. Imagine the time and money we could save by amalgamating the available tech, properly assessing Cluster members’ projects and connect-ing them to the right suppliers, buyers or develop-ers. This best-of-breed strategy and the collective learning we’d gain from this helps us anticipate future market developments.

How so? The tech-world is becoming software-driven. Hardware used to shape innovation, but in a few years time it will be the other way around. During the next decade, software will shape the way we design technological appliances. Take the electric car for example. By adopting a software-driven approach we could add latent sensors to the car that could be activated later with the right software. Software can be replaced, or up-dated. Hardware cannot. In other words, instead of playing catch-up with technology, we are two steps ahead of it.

Apart from accommodating potential techno-logical efficiencies, what other advantages does the Software Cluster offer its members?Another important role played by the Software Cluster is the dissemination of knowledge. First of all, we have many connections with universities that allow us to streamline the exchange of knowledge between the academic and practical worlds. We also organise five or six themed conferences a year, in which we invite speakers and industry pioneers to share their expertise and vision. We even encourage members to jointly participate in Europe’s largest

trade fairs, such as Embedded World and the Hannover Messe.

Logic has been involved in the Software Cluster from the very beginning, what do they bring to the party? Logic can see the bigger picture. They’re not en-tirely sales driven; instead, they have a passion for everything that has to do with technology. Their clients and suppliers form a vast network, which has incalculable value for an initiative like the Software Cluster. Logic’s current role within the Cluster is that of a missionary, informing their peers of all the innovative plans that are available, and urging them to participate.

Is Logic the only distributor in Europe that’s driving the market forward? No, but they are alone in their ability to find the right people for the right job. Think of them as professional football managers, constantly scout-ing the best talent to maintain the strength of the team. Whatever software solution their team of bright-minded developers has to offer, they have the ability to bring out the best of their players’ skills and satisfy their customers and suppliers. But it works both ways. If there’s one thing we’ve learnt

from Logic while curating technolo-gy, it’s that it’s absolutely crucial to manage expectations. The customer is king, mostly. But not if it leads to inefficiencies upstream at the suppli-ers that will unnecessarily increase costs for both parties.

What will the software market look like in 10 years time? Are you kidding? I can’t even tell you what the market will look like

in five years! But that’s the beauty of our indus-try; there is never a dull moment in the world of high-tech. What I can say, is that the demand for software, particularly embedded software, is grow-ing exponentially. For the next decade or so, our brains will be teased by the possibilities offered by the Internet of Things, Big Data, Deep Learning, and Artificial Intelligence. In theory, these will all have the potential to further enrich our lives. What the Software Cluster shows us is how we could all ben-efit from them on a more practical level. We want to inspire software developers, and their future clients, to embrace the wonders of the software technology that is at their fingertips.

“The Internet of Things, Big data,

deep learning, and artificial intelligence

will be itching our brains for the next

decade or so.”

LOGIC Clients

What is the Software Cluster? The High-Tech Software Cluster is a platform that brings software developers, high-tech companies and educational institutions together to reinforce each other’s work and mobilise for tomorrow’s opportunities. It offers software engineers heaps of new information and inspiration to create new products and services that meet the conditions and requirements of present and future markets. To do so, software developers, hardware manufacturers, colleagues and competitors will have to open up and complement one another’s creativity so that we can reap the benefits of the Smart Industry and collec-tively be a frontrunner in the market.

YOU’RE NEVER ALONE IN THE WORLD OF SOFTWARE

Pooling tech-talent at the Software Cluster in Eindhoven

MANY SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS; HARDWARE DESIGNERS AND EVEN HIGH-TECH MULTINATIONALS

FEEL SLIGHTLY OVERWHELMED BY THE RAPIDLY CHANGING FACE OF TECHNOLOGY.

THE HIGH-TECH SOFTWARE CLUSTER AT THE BRAINPORT EINDHOVEN (THE NETHERLANDS)

AIMS TO CHANGE ALL THAT ON THE PREMISE THAT ONLY TOGETHER WILL WE BE ABLE TO HAVE

A REAL IMPACT ON THE STILL LARGELY UNEXPLORED POTENTIAL OF SOFTWARE. WE SPOKE TO

CLUSTER MANAGER WIM RENDERS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF POOLING RESOURCES, AND HIS

PLANS TO TURN THE SOFTWARE CLUSTER INTO EUROPE’S TECHNOLOGICAL BACKBONE.

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Software Quality

• Software Certification

• Coding Rules Enforcement

• Unit Testing

• Code Coverage

Boards & Solutions

• Computer On Module

• Boundary Scan Tools

• Test & Burn-in Adapters

• Functional Testers

LOGIC

There’s always a Logic Solution!

Software Components

• Flash Media Drivers

• Reliable File Systems

• UEFI BIOS

• Customization Services

Development Tools

• Software Suites

• Debuggers

• Performance Analyzers

• JTAG-Tools

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COLOFONPublisher: Logic Technology B.V. , John F. Kennedylaan 18, 5981XC Panningen, The Netherlands | +31 77 307 84 38 | info@logic.nl Editors: Joep Peters, Gilbert Gadet | Copywriter: David Widen | Widen your World, Haarlem, The Netherlands Photography: Herman Bouwens | Foto Kaldenbach, Simpelveld, The Netherlands | Design: Artline, Kessel, The Netherlands.

Copyright © 2018 Logic Technology B.V., The Netherlands All rights reserved.

Main Office:Logic Technology B.V.John F. Kennedylaan 185981XC PanningenThe Netherlands+31 77 307 84 38info@logic.nlwww.logic.nl

Germany, Switzerland, Austria:Bunsenstrasse 1881735 MunichGermany+49 89 1436 7945info@logictechnology.dewww.logictechnology.de

“Enabling engineers to create great products”

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