The traditional relationship among automation vendors, integrators and end users was relatively straightforward: A supplier manufactured a product, an integrator selected and installed it, and the customer operated it. Adrienne Meyer, CEO of the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA), says increasing manufacturing complexity is turning that transactional relationship into something much more strategic.

Manufacturers increasingly want connected systems, actionable data, improved productivity, cybersecurity and operational resilience, rather than individual products or equipment. Delivering those outcomes requires automation suppliers and system integrators to collaborate throughout the project lifecycle. Integrators are particularly important because they operate at the intersection between technology and application, understanding how products from multiple suppliers must work together in a real production environment.

That relationship also works in the opposite direction. Automation suppliers rely on integrators to help customers successfully deploy emerging technologies such as digital twins, cybersecurity tools and artificial intelligence (AI). Meanwhile, integrators benefit from early exposure to technology roadmaps, while vendors gain feedback about the challenges encountered in real-world applications.