Rockwell Automation, which claims to be the world's largest industrial automation and digital transformation company, has now announced the latest season of its award-winning video series ROKStudios. Exclusive interviews with customers, partners and other thought leaders explore the topics of digitalisation and sustainability, as well as the changing role of automation in shaping the future of industrial operations.

‘The complexity of change’

‘We believe that true industry leadership is defined by our ability to drive both innovation and sustainability,’ said Gustavo Zecharies, EMEA President of Rockwell Automation. ‘The new season of ROKStudios brings together leading experts and innovative approaches from our region and around the world, showcasing how digital transformation and collaborative partnerships are shaping a more resilient, efficient and sustainable future for the manufacturing industry. We are proud to support our customers and partners in navigating the complexity of change and unlocking new growth opportunities.’

Experts and decision-makers in dialogue

The series brings together executives, technology innovators and industry partners to discuss the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing manufacturers today. From accelerating digital transformation to promoting circular manufacturing and creating transparent supply chains, the discussions provide actionable insights for executives, engineers and decision-makers from various industries. ROKStudios is continuing its tradition of introducing thought leaders who are shaping the future of industrial leadership. There are a number of key topics.

Digital excellence in life sciences manufacturing

For example, the role of manufacturing execution systems in a new era: Paul Murray, Managing Director of Manufacturing Supply Chain Systems at Industry X, Accenture, one of Rockwell's largest ecosystem partners, examines how life sciences manufacturing is undergoing profound change due to the need for agility, compliance and innovation. As therapies become increasingly personalised and regulatory requirements increase, manufacturers are turning to advanced manufacturing execution systems (MES) to bridge the gap between operational efficiency and quality assurance.

West-Bake leverages digital technologies for sustainable growth

Managing Director Peadar Shanks and IT Manager P.J. Shanks explain how the implementation of the Plex Smart Manufacturing System at West-Bake is enabling a digital transformation across all areas of the business, eliminating data silos, digitising manual processes and providing real-time insights. This new approach has enabled the Ireland-based bakery to improve its efficiency, quality and traceability.

Industrial data centres: Smart manufacturing and real-time insights

Industrial data centres are rapidly becoming the backbone of modern manufacturing operations. Brian Glancy, Commercial, Innovation & AI Manager at ControlSoft Automation Systems, a Platinum System Integrator in the Rockwell PartnerNetwork ecosystem, explains how manufacturers are preparing for the next wave of transformation by leveraging real-time data for predictive analytics, operational excellence and sustainability.

Scaling circular manufacturing

To highlight the growing importance of business opportunities through sustainable initiatives, several episodes also focus on sustainable innovation. Under the heading ‘Vision, Strategy and Collaboration,’ for example, Tony Wibbeler, founder and CEO of Bolder Industries, reports on how the company converts used tyres into high-quality materials to reduce landfill waste and promote the circular economy. The episode describes Bolder Industries' strategic growth in the US and Europe and how its partnership with Rockwell Automation enables scalable, efficient and resilient operations. Viewers gain insights into the technical challenges of deploying advanced control systems and the measurable results for industry and society.

Sustainability in the process industry

Thiagu Bhojan, Director of Multivista Oman, a specialist distribution partner of Rockwell, discusses trends, technologies and strategies for collaboration. He discusses the changing sustainability landscape in the oil and gas and water/wastewater sectors. The episode highlights key trends such as circular water management, energy efficiency and waste reduction, and examines how digital transformation, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics are reshaping industrial processes.

Driving the green transition

Andy Morgan, Director at Firstco, a Gold Level System Integrator Partner in the United Kingdom, explains how advanced control and real-time visualisation technologies enable scalable carbon offset projects and new models for urban sustainability. The episode explores how companies are converting waste energy into valuable resources, optimising efficiency and inspiring new models for community well-being and climate resilience.

Sustainability shapes industrial automation

Mogens Brusgaard, CEO of Wexøe, a Danish specialist distributor, explores how the sustainability-driven transformation is reshaping business models and creating new opportunities for innovation in industrial automation. This episode discusses the impact of large companies' commitments under the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTI), the growing importance of transparency – for example, through the disclosure of products' carbon footprints – and the influence of new regulations such as the Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR) and digital product passports.

The future of sustainable innovation

Patrick Eickhoff, Director of Software and Digitalisation at GEA Group, a Gold OEM Partner, describes GEA's digital transformation. He explains how GEA is driving automation through the use of the FactoryTalk Optix visualisation platform and open standards to make systems more flexible and connected, reduce energy consumption, improve efficiency and help customers achieve their climate goals. Eickhoff reports on how digitalisation is driving a more sustainable, data-driven future for the process industry and enabling GEA's customers to achieve their own sustainability goals.

More than 100 recordings

The new videos, recorded at Rockwell's recent Automation Fair in Chicago, USA, join other videos featuring Rockwell Automation executives and experts to bring the total number of recordings on the ROKStudios portal to more than 100.

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