INDUSTRY NEWS
Electrical infrastructure to become key
The role of electrical infrastructure needs to be fundamentally rethought due to growing energy demand, grid constraints and the cost of downtime, according to a new white paper from ABB.
“ There is huge commercial gain to be had in doing so. Our‘ Future of Electrification Service 2026-2035’ report suggests that companies can gain a competitive edge if they stop thinking of electrical infrastructure as a background utility or a maintenance expense, but rather an emerging strategic asset that directly influences resilience, productivity, sustainability and growth,” ABB told ISMR.
The white paper finds that energy now makes up 25.4 per cent of industrial operating costs, while 59 per cent of organisations identify rising energy costs as a major threat. At the same time, it reports that unplanned downtime costs the world’ s largest companies around US $ 1.4 trillion annually, and 69 per cent of industrial plants experience outages at least monthly.
“ Although most organisations recognize the need to act, they struggle to translate that into investment decisions. Critically, while 81 per cent of senior decision-makers say the total cost of ownership( TCO) should guide capital decisions, only 37 per cent
Image: @ ABB.
apply it in practice,” cautioned ABB. It concludes that, as power systems become increasingly intelligent, distributed and interconnected, organisations will move beyond simply consuming electricity to actively managing, storing, optimising and orchestrating it. In parallel, resilience, affordability and sustainability will cease to be separate objectives and become different outcomes of the same operational strategy.
“ The boundary between energy producer and energy consumer is beginning to disappear,” said Stuart Thompson, President of Electrification Service, ABB.“ For decades, organisations have treated electrical infrastructure as something to which they connect and maintain. But the next decade will fundamentally change that relationship. Businesses will increasingly
become active participants in the energy system, generating, storing, optimising and orchestrating energy in real time.
“ At the same time, resilience, affordability and sustainability are no longer separate objectives that can be managed independently. They are becoming different outcomes of the same strategy. The organisations that succeed will be those that can balance all three simultaneously, and they will get there much faster if they start now.”
The report goes on to outline how electrification service is expected to evolve through to 2035 and beyond driven by AI, automation, energy storage, digital asset management and new service models. Various key shifts are identified.
To help organisations prepare for the next ten years, the report outlines five practical pathways to action today: strategic asset management; AI and digital solutions; energy READ storage; energy and carbon services; and advisory services. n REPORT
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. abb. com
FABTECH USA will return to Las Vegas
FABTECH, North America’ s largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event, will return to Las Vegas( USA) for the first time since 2016. The event will take place from 21-23 October 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Centre, Nevada, USA. ISMR is an international media partner.
“ Manufacturers are navigating tighter margins, persistent workforce constraints and the pressure to modernise without disrupting output,” said Tracy Garcia, CEM, FABTECH group director at SME.“ For many, the question is no longer whether to invest but when and in what. FABTECH brings equipment, suppliers and technical expertise together in one place, giving attendees direct access to both solutions and the experts behind them.”
The 2026 show floor will span 725,000 square feet, equivalent to roughly 12 football fields, and may feature over 1,400 exhibitors across 40 product categories. The renovated Las Vegas Convention Centre features modernised exhibit halls, improved amenities and enhanced meeting spaces. FABTECH has also launched a new Artificial Intelligence for Manufacturing( AIM) Pavilion.
Workforce challenges continue to reshape hiring, training and long-term planning across the industry as experienced workers retire faster than new entrants replace them. FABTECH’ s conference programme will address these issues directly, with educational sessions covering manufacturing operations, technology adoption and workforce development across all skill levels. Its conference programme features automation, robotics, AI and smart manufacturing topics.
This year’ s special event line-up features keynote speakers and panellists sharing actionable insights on leadership, teamwork and business performance— along with networking events like Women of FABTECH. The FABTECH Conference will feature more than 180 expert-led sessions and workshops across 12 educational tracks. The programme focuses on practical strategies and emerging technologies that can help organisations improve productivity, address workforce challenges, optimize operations and drive measurable business results.
The Emerging Leaders Programme also returns as a dedicated resource for professionals of 35 years old and under, offering a half-day programme focused on leadership development, peer networking, mentorship and technical training.
FABTECH’ s five event partners are the American Welding Society; the Chemical Coaters Association International, now rebranding as the Industrial Finishing and Coating Association( IFCA); the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International( FMA); the Precision Metalforming Association( PMA) and SME. n
www. fabtechexpo. com
24 | ismr. net | ISMR October 2026