Proven in European pharmaceutical and food plants, MADDOX automatically delivers experienced technicians’ fixes to operators the moment a machine stops. North American debut at PACK EXPO International, West Hall, Booth W-20056
CHICAGO, Oct. 17, 2026 — Peerox GmbH, a Dresden, Germany-based provider of industrial AI assistance systems, today announced the North American launch of MADDOX at PACK EXPO International 2026. MADDOX captures the troubleshooting knowledge of a plant’s most experienced people and delivers it automatically to whoever is running the line when a machine stops. Operators don’t have to search a wiki or type questions into a chatbot.
When experience walks out the door
North American manufacturers face a widening skills gap. According to Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, U.S. manufacturing could need up to 3.8 million new workers between 2024 and 2033, and 1.9 million of those jobs could go unfilled. Experienced technicians are retiring and turnover remains high, so the tribal knowledge that keeps packaging lines running is getting lost. Meanwhile, new operators wait for maintenance to arrive.
Not another chatbot
MADDOX detects machine stops automatically. It uses machine learning to analyze PLC data patterns and matches them against knowledge captured from the plant’s own experts, so the right solution appears on the operator’s screen without anyone having to ask. Experts write each knowledge card once, and MADDOX translates it into the operator’s native language automatically. For problems the machine doesn’t report as errors, generative AI capabilities complement the system.
“Most knowledge management tools only work for the few people who actively search or document. MADDOX works for everyone on the line, from the 30-year veteran to the seasonal worker on their first shift. After seven years in European plants, we’re excited to bring it to North American manufacturers.”
Andre Schult, CEO and co-founder of Peerox
Proven results in European plants
North American manufacturers face a widening skills gap. According to Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, U.S. manufacturing could need up to 3.8 million new workers between 2024 and 2033, and 1.9 million of those jobs could go unfilled. Experienced technicians are retiring and turnover remains high, so the tribal knowledge that keeps packaging lines running is getting lost. Meanwhile, new operators wait for maintenance to arrive.
- Dr. Quendt (Lambertz Group): 60% fewer technician interventions and a permanent 10% increase in cycle rate on a ROVEMA vertical bagging line, within a single season. The bakery employs up to 70 seasonal workers each year, many of whom don’t speak German. Its parent, the Lambertz Group, is one of Germany’s largest makers of baked goods and confectionery, with annual sales of around €725 million.
- Berlin-Chemie AG (Menarini Group): 38% fewer micro-stops and 24% higher MTBF on a pharmaceutical packaging line.
- Rotkäppchen-Mumm, Germany’s largest sparkling wine producer: total downtime on a small-bottle line cut from 32% to 17% during a three-month pilot.
- A global pharmaceutical manufacturer headquartered in Germany: 7% higher OEE on a central packaging line.
“With the help of MADDOX, we can analyze and resolve the root causes of malfunctions significantly faster. This considerably reduces the frustrating detective work in shift operations.”
Matthias Markus, Head of Packaging Engineering at Bayer AG
“In our seasonal food production, staff turnover is part of everyday life. With MADDOX, new employees receive troubleshooting instructions in their native language, become independent faster and need less support. This noticeably reduces downtime and scrap – a real gain for us.”
Tom Oldach, Technical Project Manager at Dr. Quendt GmbH & Co. KG
Other MADDOX users include Lindt & Sprüngli and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
Research roots, local support
Peerox, a 2019 spin-off of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Dresden, has been part of the tracetronic group since 2025 and serves North American customers from tracetronic’s U.S. office in Troy, Michigan. MADDOX received the Maintenance Award and was a finalist in the Digital Transformation category of the CPHI Pharma Awards 2026.
Pilot program for North American plants
Manufacturers can start with a 30-minute live demo, followed by technical, strategic and on-site checks. The pilot is an 8-week production test with a rental test kit at a fixed price, backed by a satisfaction guarantee.
See MADDOX live: PACK EXPO International, West Hall, Booth W-20056, Oct. 18–21, 2026.
About Peerox
Peerox GmbH, a Fraunhofer spin-off based in Dresden, Germany, develops AI assistance systems for manufacturing. Its flagship product, MADDOX, combines machine data, machine learning and the experience of skilled workers to help operators resolve machine stops on their own and to relieve maintenance teams. Manufacturers in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, building materials and paper industries use MADDOX. Peerox is part of the tracetronic group.