modern automated production environment may bring together PLC and HMI systems, SCADA, variable speed drives, robotics, safety systems and industrial networks, with the control architecture providing the link between individual pieces of equipment.
It is an area in which Banelec works across the full project lifecycle, from control-system design and panel manufacture through to programming, integration, installation and commissioning. Its engineers work with a range of PLC, HMI and SCADA platforms, including Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Mitsubishi and Schneider, allowing systems to be integrated around the requirements of individual production environments rather than forcing manufacturers into a single technology stack.
The PwC research, based on interviews with 443 senior manufacturing executives across 24 territories, concludes that future performance will depend less on simply acquiring new technologies and more on integrating them effectively. Production and operations are expected to become the largest users of advanced technologies by 2030, while the research also identifies a widening gap between future-fit manufacturers and their peers.
That distinction is particularly relevant as factories become more interconnected. Adding a robot, upgrading a PLC or introducing a monitoring system can deliver a local improvement, but the wider gains come when those technologies can exchange information and contribute to a coherent production strategy.
According to Dean Banner, this systems-level thinking is where many manufacturers now gain their competitive advantage.
“ The real value isn’ t simply adding more automation. It’ s making every part of the factory work together. If machines operate in isolation, you only improve individual processes. When electrical control systems integrate production equipment, energy management, quality monitoring and operational data, manufacturers gain visibility they simply didn’ t have
Dean Banner MD discusses automation trend before. That allows faster decisions, better productivity and much greater resilience.”
The same principle is increasingly being applied to maintenance. Industry 4.0 technologies can allow manufacturers to move from reactive“ fail and fix” maintenance towards more predictive approaches, using equipment data to identify potential problems before they result in unplanned downtime.
Banelec’ s Industry 4.0 work includes remote monitoring, live data streaming and predictive maintenance applications, reflecting the broader move towards using production data not simply to observe what has happened, but to inform what should happen next.
PwC also expects manufacturers to generate an increasing proportion of revenue from activities beyond traditional product manufacturing. Its research projects that 44 % of total revenue could come from outside the manufacturing of industrial and consumer products by 2030, as businesses expand into connected solutions, services and intelligent technologies.
For engineering companies, that evolution is creating demand for automation infrastructure capable of supporting more flexible production, digital manufacturing, predictive maintenance and remote monitoring.
It also means that integration needs to be considered from the outset. Retrofitting new technologies into an existing production environment can involve legacy equipment, different control platforms, safety requirements and the practical constraints of keeping a working factory operational.
Banelec’ s integration engineers work on both new systems and existing production equipment, including projects involving PLCs, robotics and HMI systems. The company also provides relocation and integration services where existing equipment needs to be incorporated into a new or modified production environment.
Dean Banner believes this represents a natural progression for manufacturers investing for long-term growth.
“ Automation cannot purely be viewed as a capital investment to reduce labour. It’ s becoming part of wider business strategy.“ Customers want systems that can adapt as production changes, accommodate new equipment, provide better operational information and support future expansion without rebuilding everything from scratch.”
That requirement for scalability is particularly important as manufacturers invest in technologies that may need to remain operational for many years. The electrical control system is often the point at which
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