Rockwell Automation, Inc. unveiled its Digital Partner Program to delegates at Automation Fair 2019, hosted jointly with members of its PartnerNetwork, on 19-20 November in Chicago, Illinois. The industry-leading Partner Program will streamline Rockwell Automation’s customer offering, elevating its digital expertise and transformation capabilities.

The new program is strengthened by collaborations with new partners announced at Automation Fair including Accenture, ANSYS and EPLAN, as well as enhancing the existing strategic alliances with Microsoft, and PTC. The collaborative approach of the Digital Partner Program enables clients to more effectively leverage the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and drive measurable growth outcomes for their businesses.

Through the Program, businesses can consult with industry advisors to create roadmaps for their digital initiatives and learn how industrial IoT concepts like digital twin, the factory of the future and a connected workforce can improve their uptime and efficiency. During implementation, businesses will have access to integrated hardware, software and turnkey systems from industry leaders that improve business performance leveraging their existing assets.

“Seamlessly connecting all levels of business and turning raw data into powerful insights happens when devices are integrated and data is standardized,” said Blake Moret, CEO and chairman of Rockwell Automation. “No one vendor can do this alone. Instead, companies need an ecosystem of proven partners with the right mix of expertise and technologies to expand what’s humanly possible. We’re proud to expand our work with existing strategic alliance partners like Microsoft and PTC, and add new partners like Accenture, ANSYS, and EPLAN in this effort.”

The event also celebrated record-breaking attendance from industry stakeholders, coming together to collaborate, network and learn about the latest innovations in industrial automation. Across the two-day event, over 19,000 makers, builders and innovators came together from across the globe to hear about the latest technological developments and discuss industry trends impacting today’s manufacturing climate such as digitization, cybersecurity, the skills gap, and STEM.

In addition to launching the Digital Partner Program, Rockwell Automation reflected on a string of recent announcements, including the acquisition of Indian integrator, MESTECH.

Joe Sousa, president, Asia Pacific, Rockwell Automation, commented: “Expanding human possibility is the driving force of Rockwell Automation, and that is reflected in the investments we make and the partners we collaborate with. We have unrivalled relationships with our partners and are always exploring opportunities to expand our work together, as well as add new partners to our ecosystem. Unlocking potential and productivity through automated and connected innovation is what we do, but by combining the technology and expertise of multiple stakeholders we can accelerate this process for our customers.

Particularly in a region as diverse as the Asia Pacific, our partners are integral to our ability to create the most efficient and productive solutions for our customers. While we have partnered with MESTECH for a long time, our recent acquisition of the business further expands our capabilities. We have ambitious plans for 2020 in the Asia Pacific and the acquisition of MESTECH brings new expertise to the table, reaching even more customers and bringing solutions to life even faster.”