Rockwell's New Country Manager underlines next-gen smart manufacturing capabilities

By: Kathryn Gerardino-Elagio

Singapore serves as a key market for Rockwell Automation since it opened its office in 1991. The region acts as the company’s Asia Pacific and South East Asia headquarters, with facilities including a large-scale manufacturing facility and a Customer Experience Center (CEC).

International Metalworking News for Asia interviewed Mariya Prempeh, the new Singapore country manager, to learn about her focus and objectives, especially how she can help Rockwell evolve and be in a stronger position in today's fluid economy.

IMNA: As the new Singapore Country Manager for Rockwell Automation, what areas do you see as requiring more focus?

Mariya: During COVID-19 we were impacted just like any other manufacturing firm and faced challenges in our own production. To ensure business continuity, we took steps to be more autonomous, implementing remote monitoring of our production lines and upgrading our factory with an automated input /output (I/O) robotic manufacturing line. This has helped minimise downtime and increase productivity across a range of process applications. 

As we enter the post-pandemic era, I really want to get our customers hands-on with our technology and share some of the learnings from our own transformation. To that end, we are genuinely excited to re-open our premises to visitors and I welcome representatives from government and the private sector to visit our CEC and see our technologies and solutions in action.

The CEC, housed at our premises at Corporation Road, provides a one-stop location where customers can physically and virtually interact with our cutting-edge smart manufacturing solutions.  Using Emulate 3D, our digital twin software, visitors can interact with a virtual robotic manufacturing assembly line. We also have hands-on demonstrations of our state-of-the-art OT cybersecurity solutions simulating and responding to attacks.

The CDC shows customers that automation is a journey, and Rockwell Automation can become a trusted partner, helping to guide customers along the way.

I am also very excited about and will be focusing on our newly expanded consulting offering. Our team of dedicated consultants cover everything from basic site walkthroughs with ‘quick win’ recommendations to more detailed SIRI (Smart Industry Readiness Index) assessments and the creation of digital roadmaps.

IMNA: Can you describe Singapore’s adoption of automation and advanced technologies?

Mariya: Manufacturing is a major contributor to Singapore’s gross domestic product (GDP), contributing about 21% or S$106 billion of GDP. The sector also employs about 450,000 workers, around 12% of the national workforce. In 2021, the Singapore government announced plans to grow the sector by 50% by 2030[1]. To achieve this goal, the country needs to develop its competitiveness through innovation, producing higher-value products and increasing its capabilities in advanced manufacturing. Investment in automation and smart manufacturing solutions will be key to helping Singapore achieve its target.

Fortunately, Singapore firms are accelerating their adoption of automation and advanced technology. According to the State of Digital Automation 2023 report, 80% of enterprises are now working with automation solutions and 98% have seen positive results from the adoption. Additionally, 81% intend to automate just as much, if not more, in 2023.

IMNA: How can you help the company evolve and be in a stronger position in today's fluid economy?

Mariya: Perhaps the greatest opportunity for Singapore, and indeed the world, is around improving the sustainability of manufacturing.

The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES) recently announced that engineering in Singapore will become much greener with the launch of a plan to advance sustainability by 2030. The hope is to develop sustainable solutions in collaborations with more than 30 government and partner organisations. Additionally, Singapore plans to cut its global warming carbon emissions to 60 million tonnes by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. I am very excited to help drive sustainable solutions for these initiatives and support the government’s efforts to achieve its sustainability goals.

At Rockwell, we believe a focus on energy, water, and waste are the three areas that offer our customers the greatest opportunity for meaningful sustainable outcomes. To this end, we help manufacturers make the most of their energy resources through a comprehensive approach to control-and-information driven plant-wide energy optimisation through our Industrial Energy Management System solutions. Our cutting-edge technology can help manufacturers achieve sustainability goals, improve efficiency, and identify areas for energy reduction.

One example is Toyota, which optimised energy usage at its engine plant where its compression system accounted for 25% of the plant’s energy costs. Employing the use of our solutions (CompactLogix PLCs, ControlLogix PLC, FactoryTalk View SE software), Toyota implemented more efficient controls and stored air within the plant. This helped it reduce energy usage by nearly 1 million kilowatt hours, helping the planet and saving about US$68,000 annually.

IMNA: What is new in your approach and why do you think it will be successful?

Mariya: I am privileged to be joining the company at a time of growth and change in the manufacturing industry.  With things changing so fast there is a real need and opportunity to demonstrate technology in action. I will be championing a hands-on approach whether directly at our CDC or virtually where it makes sense.

Secondly, as we expand our offering in areas like cybersecurity and cloud-software, I am expanding our team and welcoming new and diverse talent into the team. This is to bring new ideas and new energy to the team and better representing the diversity of our customers.

IMNA: Lastly, what do you think are the key manufacturing priorities in 2023?

Mariya: We see several key manufacturing priorities for the year, including greater cloud adoption.

The never-ending list of challenges that manufacturers need to address, and the speed required to do so, will continue to drive cloud-based solutions. In fact, Singapore is one of the most advanced public cloud markets in Asia Pacific (APAC) with investment expected to reach US$3.6 billion this year[2]. Cloud software enables scalable, flexible, and secure systems with contextualised data at the heart. It also enables greater collaboration and access to data and the answers it provides from any location.

Secondly, we anticipate that the spotlight on sustainability will continue to intensify and with that, data-driven sustainability will be key for manufacturers. We expect an increase in investment in infrastructure that will provide the data and context needed to improve sustainability. Improving sustainability is an increasingly important aspect of digital transformation.

Another area of priority is cybersecurity. According to Check Point Research, manufacturing was a prime target for cyberattacks in Southeast Asia in 2021[3]. Moreover, Singapore experienced a staggering 145% surge in cyberattacks that year. Manufacturing firms will need to equip themselves with powerful cybersecurity protection to combat ever-growing cyber threats.

We are committed to helping manufacturers address these priorities with next generation smart manufacturing capabilities. As a company, we continue to innovate and invest in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and industrial internet. This not only gives us a competitive advantage, but also allow us to help our customers improve business performance, bridging gaps between plant floor and higher-level information systems.

We are also focused on attracting and retaining key talent. This is a central focus for Rockwell Automation as we recognise that it is the people who bring our strategy to life by supporting the immediate needs of our customers.

[1] https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/singapore-grow-manufacturing-sector-50-percent-2030-430871

[2] https://www.bcg.com/publications/2019/economic-impact-public-cloud-apac/singapore

[3] https://techwireasia.com/2022/01/sea-manufacturing-industry-prime-target-for-cyberattacks/