Artificial intelligencemeets real craftsmanship
At “Hands-on AI for the trades” in Hürth, German public broadcaster WDR visited us and reported on how artificial intelligence is changing the trades – and how ProtocolHero is driving digitalisation in skilled-trade businesses.
- WDR
- Feature on AI in the trades
- 8 Oct 2026
- Hands-on AI in Hürth
- 13 exhibitors
- 3 stage demos & expert talks
- 1,000+
- businesses use ProtocolHero
Hands-on AI for the trades
A little over two minutes from the event day in Hürth: how modern software and AI make everyday work easier for skilled-trade businesses. (In German.)
Less paperwork, more craftsmanship
On 8 October 2026, Metallbau Pesch in Hürth hosted “Hands-on AI for the trades”. Instead of just talking about artificial intelligence, skilled-trade businesses showed where AI is already at work for them – live and practical, with three stage demos, 13 exhibitors and expert talks from the field. Taking part were, among others, the Rhein-Erft district craft association, the Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Rheinland and Würth, along with representatives of the city of Hürth and the Rhein-Erft district.
Inspection reports, readings, photos, signatures: every job in the trades comes with documentation. Often it gets done in the evening at a desk – on paper, in Word or in Excel. That is where the WDR feature comes in: it shows how artificial intelligence and modern software take this part of the work off people's hands. Not in theory, but in real day-to-day business.
With ProtocolHero we built software that helps skilled-trade businesses create inspection reports, documentation and reports much faster and more easily – right on site on a phone or tablet, with a clean PDF at the end.
„Our goal: less bureaucracy. More time for the craft.“
Steven PakasathananManaging director, ProtocolHero
From chat window to colleague
Our talk was about what AI in the trades really means. For us, it does not mean opening a chat window and asking questions. Our Hero Agents work as digital teammates: they check reports, prepare quotes and hand them over for approval.
People keep the decision – the AI takes over the routine. That leaves more time for the work tradespeople chose their job for.
Try it instead of just listening
“Hands-on” was meant literally: at our booth, visitors tried ProtocolHero themselves: open a report, enter readings, attach photos, create the PDF. The questions were almost always the same – how much time does this really save, and how fast is my team up and running?
Less bureaucracy. More time for the craft.
Try ProtocolHero for free – or book an intro call and see how it fits your business.