Insights from Automation Fair 2025: From Modernisation to Full Industrial Autonomy
Last week at Automation Fair 2025, hosted by Rockwell Automation, one theme was impossible to miss: the future of manufacturing isn’t approaching, it’s already being built.
Rockwell Automation’s leadership made it clear that the path from automation to true autonomy is accelerating, fuelled by three powerful forces: software-defined automation (SDA), AI and robotics. Together, they’re creating production systems that adapt, learn and optimize in real time.
Modernisation: A Strategic Imperative
Speakers emphasised that modernization is no longer just a technical upgrade, it’s a business decision with measurable ROI. Organisations that treat it as “one-off projects” fall behind; those that adopt continuous, programmatic roadmaps see real gains in reliability, safety and operational agility.
Technical debt, skills shortages and cybersecurity pressures are all pushing manufacturers to rethink legacy systems.
Rockwell’s Own Transformation
Rockwell Automation isn’t just advising on this journey, they’re living it. From Singapore to Twinsburg, Rockwell’s facilities are becoming pilot sites for AI-driven, autonomous manufacturing.
The results speak for themselves:
- 33% increase in labour efficiency
- 60% faster time to competency
- 25% improvement in quality
- 35% reduction in energy use
- 21% annual ROI
Through fusion IT/OT teams, AI-enabled troubleshooting, autonomous mobile robots and virtual design tools, Rockwell is creating a blueprint for the factory of the future, one that will soon scale to new facilities, including its upcoming Wisconsin plant.
The Road Ahead
The road ahead is defined by the convergence of SDA, AI and robotics, which is reshaping manufacturing into a new era of intelligent operations. As these technologies mature, production systems are becoming dramatically more agile and resilient, capable of continuous optimisation and rapid adaptation. Most importantly, they’re creating environments that empower the workforce by equipping teams with smarter tools, better insights and the ability to focus on higher-value work.
The takeaway from Automation Fair 2025? Industrial autonomy isn’t a distant destination. It’s a competitive advantage you can build today.
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