Season 2: Episode 3: Technology Providers Powering Manufacturing’s Future

After hearing from the manufacturers leading transformation in Episodes 1 and 2, Episode 3 of Smart Manufacturing Mindset™ shifts focus to the people helping make that revolution possible: the technology providers.

This episode spotlights the builders, architects, and innovators shaping the foundation of Smart Manufacturing. From long-standing automation leaders and cloud hyperscalers to born-in-Industry 4.0 disruptors, these are the companies developing the tools, platforms, and ecosystems that make interoperability and openness more than just ideals, they make them real.

Together, they explore how collaboration across these domains is accelerating adoption, breaking down silos, and strengthening U.S. manufacturing competitiveness. Listeners will hear how decades-old automation giants are reengineering themselves for a software-defined future, how hyperscalers are bridging IT and OT, and how modern innovators are driving speed, simplicity, and data standardization across the entire value chain.

This is the story of the enablers, the people and companies turning vision into capability, and capability into lasting transformation.

Panelists:

Established Automation & Information Leaders:
🎙️ Cyril Perducat, SVP & Chief Technology Officer at Rockwell Automation
🎙️ Andre Marino, SVP, Industrial Automation at Schneider Electric
🎙️ Del Costy, President at Siemens Digital Industries (Americas)

Cloud Hyperscalers:
🎙️ Dayan Rodriguez, Corporate Vice President, Global Manufacturing & Mobility at Microsoft
🎙️ Joseph Rosing, Worldwide Head of Smart Manufacturing at Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Born-in-Industry 4.0 Innovators:
🎙️ John Harrington, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer at HighByte
🎙️ Colby Clegg, CEO at Inductive Automation
🎙️ Doug Lawson, CEO at ThinkIQ

Top 5 Takeaways:

1. Openness is nonnegotiable.
   Every leader emphasized that interoperability is no longer optional. It is the foundation that allows technologies, systems, and people to work together. Without open data models, shared standards, and accessible APIs, innovation stops at the edge of each vendor’s ecosystem.

2. Collaboration drives progress.
   Transformation happens faster when companies cooperate instead of compete. Shared ecosystems, aligned standards, and transparent partnerships are what move the industry forward. The strongest players are those willing to work across boundaries to create collective value.

3. People make transformation real.
   Technology sets the stage, but people deliver the performance. The biggest breakthroughs come when organizations help their teams think differently, embrace new tools, and see change as opportunity instead of disruption.

4. Progress beats perfection.
   No one is waiting for perfect alignment or a flawless roadmap. The leaders driving results start small, prove value quickly, and scale with purpose. Small wins build confidence, capability, and momentum.

5. Bridges build the future.
   The future of smart manufacturing will not belong to one company, platform, or technology. It will belong to the ecosystem that connects them all. The real advantage comes from integration, collaboration, and the willingness to build together.

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