Automation, AI to triple India factory output to $1 tn by 2025: Rockwell

Industrial automation and artificial intelligence (AI) will triple India's factory output from $350 billion in 2018 into a little more than $1 trillion by 2025, said a study by Rockwell Automation, a service provider for industrial automation and infotech for manufacturing industries.

“We want to take the lead in building India’s first industry 4.0 ecosystem of partner companies that will create solutions for 'The Connected Enterprise', which can analyse machine conditions in advance to avoid breakdowns and enhance productivity and improve quality and compliance parameters,” said Dilip Sawhney, managing director, Rockwell Automation India. Sawhney added that the country's ambitious target needed a concerted effort from the industry. 

Rockwell, which employs 23,000 people globally, said that the company was expanding its partner network in India to allowing local manufacturers to access a collaborative network of companies focused on developing, implementing and supporting manufacturing solutions across industry verticals. Rockwell made the announcement at the annual 2019 Rockwell Automation on the Move conference, which showcases the latest digital transformation solutions.

The Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based company has partnerships with Larsen & Toubro, Cisco, Microsoft, Endress+Hauser, and Wipro Infrastructure Engineering to develop smart manufacturing solutions in India.

John Watts, regional marketing director, Asia-Pacific at Rockwell Automation, said, "Globally, digitally induced disruption is inevitable. To maintain and improve global competitiveness, Indian manufacturers need to accelerate the adoption of Industry 4.0.” Watts added, “While India has a lot of catching up to do in this respect, it can accelerate digital transformation by leveraging its strengths in the infotech services sector and tapping the entrepreneurial spirit seen in the startup sector.”

Under 'The Connected Enterprise' product portfolio, Rockwell provides new analytics and digital solutions that can help large manufacturing enterprises to transform data into understandable information, empowering them to make more informed decisions – from the factory floor to the enterprise level.

Rockwell said that it was also expanding its portfolio and tapping into its partnership with software firm PTC to help customers increase productivity and factory efficiency, reduce operational risk and provide better system interoperability.