Traditionally, industrial companies have had their hands tied with closed automation systems, leading to an over reliance of automation technologies from a single vendor to ensure compatibility and continuity. Recent supply chain challenges have not only shown that this approach hampers productivity and efficiency, but it also highlights a host of hidden costs. These include increased downtime, inefficiencies and compliance issues, fragmented workflows and delay.
A recent Omdia study found that this costs industry an estimated £8.41 billion ($11.28 billion) annually, equivalent to 4.5% of average turnover. However, small companies are bearing the brunt, with up to 25% in lost revenue due to their scale.
By opting for Open, Software-Defined Automation (OSDA), hidden, recurring costs can be redirected into R&D and innovation budgets. It’s the reason that Schneider Electric, the global leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, is calling for industry to adopt OSDA and unshackle themselves from single vendors.
Richella Oderbrecht, Chief Marketing Officer Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric: “Industry can’t compete with rigid, closed systems — Omdia found they cost mid‑sized manufacturers £8 million annually and large enterprises £33 million. At Schneider Electric, we’re transforming that reality with Open, Software‑Defined Automation, already demonstrated in our nine Global Lighthouse factories. This is how we unlock agility, intelligence, and sustainable performance at scale”.
Kristin Baker, VP Industrial & Process Automation for UK & Ireland, Schneider Electric: “UK manufacturers are facing real pressures, from high energy costs to legacy systems, but the opportunity to boost competitiveness exists today. With Open, Software-Defined Automation, we can modernize production at speed and unlock the agility and efficiency our industries need to compete globally.”
As manufacturers are being tasked with doing more with less Open, Software-Defined Automation is already delivering value in the CPG sector where agility is critical to success.
Neil Smith, Global CPG President, Schneider Electric: “CPG manufacturers producing essential food, beverage and pharmaceutical products share many of the same challenges as other industrial companies. Our focus is simple: deliver choice. Legacy systems would only allow manufacturers to advance and innovate at the pace of their vendors for locked-in solutions Open, Software-Defined Automation separates software from hardware in manufacturing production cycles much the same way the music industry digitalised to enable portable, anytime, cross-device playlists. It allows manufacturers to use the best tools for their specific business challenges, integrate new capabilities quickly, and evolve at ‘software speed’ rather than being bound by legacy systems.”
Giuseppe Zichittella, IT Solutions Manager, Zicaffè: “As a fourth-generation family-run company, investing in Open, Software-Defined Automation gives us greater control over our processes and raw materials. This assures the future of the business by allowing us to adapt quickly and stay competitive. Once we introduced EcoStruxure Automation Expert to our process, not only were we free to digitalise at our own rate, we gained access to vendor-agnostic industrial orchestration capabilities, as well as objective, data-based evidence of volumes and quality. We achieved ROI within the first year and have not looked back since.”
Open SDA can help businesses respond to market changes, skills shortages, and sustainability pressures. Most notably, open platforms present an opportunity for digitalisation without disruption, changing open architecture from a technical feature to a complete mindset shift. Once in place, open, interoperable architectures act as the building blocks for future transformation, empowering businesses to reach the speed and agility they need to be truly competitive.
EcoStruxure Automation Expert is built in line with the Universal Automation standards and vision to give industrial businesses freedom to adapt, scale, and innovate at a steady pace. The totally integrated automation solution decouples software from hardware, allowing control applications to be developed, reused, and deployed independently of hardware. This removes the costly constraints outlined in the Omdia report, enabling changes to be made without re-engineering or disruption to operations.
Download the Omdia study here: https://cloud.go.se.com/WW_202511_EAEAccelerationSDAOmdiaEbook_MULTI_NONE_EAE_IAOPS_ALLSEG_ACQ_NA-LP and find out more about EAE here: https://www.se.com/uk/en/product-range/23643079-ecostruxure-automation-expert/
Learn more: www.se.com
For more news: https://designsolutionsmag.co.uk/category/news/
