Rockwell Automation, the industrial automation and information company, has celebrated the 20th anniversary of its software research and development campus in Dalian, China.
Among the first few multi-national companies to set up global software R&D facilities in Dalian, this long-standing campus is a testament to Rockwell Automation’s commitment to the China market and its firm confidence in “Innovation in China”.
Over the past two decades, the Dalian campus has evolved from a two-engineer operation to the company’s largest software R&D center outside the US. The campus now focuses on new product development and innovation, with a solid reputation for high quality and on-time delivery.
In his opening remarks presented at the morning event, Keith Nosbusch, Chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation said: “I continue to be impressed by how our Dalian campus has evolved into a truly great asset for our global R&D capabilities, providing support not only for our global customers, but also serving local customers in China. China is a strategic and important market for our continued global success and it is our long-term strategy to strengthen our innovation capabilities in China and cultivate more local talent to better serve the China market.”
At The Connected Enterprise Forum held that afternoon, Mr. Nosbusch introduced how the convergence of control and information technologies coupled with new technologies such as mobility, cloud and big data analytics are reshaping the manufacturing landscape. The Dalian campus will play a significant role in supporting Rockwell Automation’s vision for The Connected Enterprise.
“The arrival of the Internet of Things is creating new opportunities in industry and the manufacturing sector. These opportunities grow out of the rapidly-increasing demand for consumer goods, infrastructure and natural resources in China due to the rapid urbanization that will see 225 large- and medium-sized cities in China among the world’s top 600 by 2025, as well as the pressing need to improve energy efficiency in Chinese manufacturing.
Industry accounts for more than 70% of total energy consumption in China. Facing these mega trends and transformational forces, it is no longer enough to simply automate machines and processes to have them run faster and produce more.
To remain competitive, nothing can be isolated anymore. Manufacturers now need to connect smart devices, machines and processes across the whole plant floor, tightly bridge their manufacturing facilities to the rest of the enterprise, and link the entire supply chain. This will require moving from simply automating labor to leveraging information; changing pockets of expertise to global collaboration; and mitigating risk by transitioning systems from open to open-and-secure. We call this vision – The Connected Enterprise,” added Mr. Nosbusch.
