Videos showcase the future of industrial operations and sustainable transformation

(See Rockwell Automation at Machine Building North, 13 May 2026, on stand 75)

"We believe that true industry leadership is defined by our ability to drive both innovation and sustainability," said Gustavo Zecharies, EMEA president, Rockwell Automation. "The new season of ROKStudios brings together bright minds and bold ideas from our region and around the globe, showcasing how digital transformation and collaborative partnerships are shaping a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable future for manufacturing.

"We are proud to support our customers and partners as they navigate the complexities of change and unlock new opportunities for growth."

The series brings together senior executives, technology innovators and industry partners to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing manufacturers today. From accelerating digital transformation to advancing circular manufacturing and enabling transparent supply chains, the discussions deliver actionable insights for business leaders, engineers and decision-makers across sectors.

ROKStudios continues its tradition of showcasing thought leaders who are defining the future of industrial leadership. Highlights include:

Digital Excellence in Life Sciences Manufacturing - The Role of Execution Systems in a New Era: Paul Murray, managing director for manufacturing supply chain systems at Industry X, Accenture, one of Rockwell's largest ecosystem partners, explores how life sciences manufacturing is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the need for agility, compliance and innovation. As therapies become more personalised and regulatory expectations intensify, 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 West-Bake's implementation of the Plex Smart Manufacturing System is enabling a digital transformation across its operations, removing data silos, digitalising manual processes and delivering real-time insights. Through this new approach, the Ireland-based bakery has improved efficiency, quality and traceability.

Industrial Data Centres - Powering Smart Manufacturing and Real-Time Insights: Industrial data centres are rapidly becoming the backbone of modern manufacturing operations. Brian Glancy, commercial, innovation and AI manager for ControlSoft Automation Systems, a platinum-level system integrator in Rockwell's PartnerNetwork ecosystem, explains how manufacturers are preparing for the next wave of transformation with the ability to harness real-time data for predictive analytics, operational excellence and sustainability.

Emphasising the growing importance of business opportunities driven by sustainable initiatives, several episodes focus on sustainable innovation:

Scaling Circular Manufacturing - Vision, Strategy and Collaboration: Tony Wibbeler, founder and CEO of Bolder Industries, shares how the company is transforming end-of-life tires into high-value materials, reducing landfill waste and supporting the circular economy. The episode details Bolder Industries' strategic growth across the US and Europe, and how its partnership with Rockwell Automation enables scalable, efficient, and resilient operations. Viewers gain insight into the technical challenges of deploying advanced control systems and the measurable outcomes for both industry and society.

Sustainability in Process Industries - Trends, Technologies, and Collaborative Strategies: Thiagu Bhojan, director of Multivista Oman, a Rockwell speciality distributor, discusses the evolving sustainability landscape in 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 operations.

Empowering 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 are enabling scalable carbon-offset projects and new models for urban sustainability. The episode explores how organisations are transforming waste energy into valuable resources, optimizing efficiency and inspiring new models for community well-being and climate resilience.

Sustainability Shaping Industrial Automation: Mogens Brusgaard, CEO of Wexoe, a Danish value-added distributor, explores how sustainability-driven transformation is reshaping business models and creating new opportunities for innovation in industrial automation. The episode discusses the impact of Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) commitments by large corporations, the growing importance of transparency - such as disclosing product carbon footprints - and the influence of emerging regulations like the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Digital Product Passports.

The Future of Sustainable Innovation: GEA's Digital Transformation: Patrick Eickhoff, director of software and digitalisation, GEA Group, a gold OEM partner, discusses how GEA is advancing automation through its the use of the FactoryTalk Optix visualisation platform and open standards to make systems more flexible and connected, helping reduce energy use, improve efficiency and support customers in meeting climate goals. Eickhoff shares how digitalisation is driving a more sustainable, data-driven future for process industries and enabling GEA's customers to achieve their own sustainability objectives.

Recorded at Rockwell's recent Automation Fair event in Chicago, USA, the new videos - alongside others featuring executives and domain specialists from Rockwell Automation - join more than 100 previous recordings at the ROKStudios portal.