Everything you need to know from Automation Fair 2025

How Industrial Automation will help Create What’s Next in 2026 and Beyond

What single question can attract automation leaders from all over the world to gather in one location?

What’s Next?

With over 10,000 attendees, 120 interactive exhibits, 450 hours of advanced training, 250 educational sessions and more, Automation Fair 2025 in Chicago showcased how the industry will Create What’s Next in 2026 and beyond.

So… what’s next? From keynote speakers to new solutions on the expo floor, these are our biggest takeaways from the premier event for industrial automation and digital transformation.

BIG IDEAS FROM KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Each day of Automation Fair featured keynote speeches from industry leaders and conversations that offered fresh ideas. These were our biggest takeaways from each:

Failure Shouldn’t Be Frightening

AI is complex, powerful and constantly changing. That doesn’t mean it has to be difficult or scary to start using it. The first keynote on How to Innovate in an Era of AI focused on how to reshape the way we think about a future that will be mechanized by, and around, AI.

Ryan Enockson, executive account manager, said his biggest takeaway was the challenge to break the rules, test new boundaries and not be afraid of failure.

“Being intentional about having creative time in your organization and doing things differently can be a little awkward, but this helps us grow as an organization and transform,” he said.

The Future of Industrial Automation is Here

Industrial automation is shifting to industrial autonomy, and many of the technologies and solutions that will shape that future are available today. The keynote on Creating the Future of Industrial Operations covered the next generation of innovations and how they will empower people to expand the boundaries of what’s possible.

Jackie LaFleur, design and implementation services manager, pointed to the many AI, robotics and software-defined architecture solutions displayed on the Expo floor as evidence that the future of automation is now. She’s most excited for the software-defined architecture and automation that will help production systems learn and adapt in real time.

She said, “The Logix SCA is going to take multi-discipline control to the next level, allowing our customers to do more and better things within the classic Logix controller framework.”

People Make the Biggest Difference

While new technology and solutions are exciting, the final keynote on The State of Smart Manufacturing affirmed that people are still the most important ingredient for success. Josh Reitz, business consultant, said his three biggest takeaways centered around people processes and transformation.

He referenced that people account for 80% of a solution to a problem, whereas technology is only about 20% of the solution. Those people need to ensure they are not automating bad processes. And lastly, people need to look beyond traditional metrics to justify transformation.

Reitz said, “We need to look at things like, how are they going to make us more agile? How’s it going to bring more awareness to our business? How do we stay competitive in the ever-changing market?”

With technology and customer demand changing fast, flexible manufacturing will be the key to success.

NEW PRODUCTS AND INNOVATIONS

The Automation Fair Expo floor showed off the newest products and innovations that will help Create What’s Next. These are some of the solutions we’re most excited about:

Robotics Bridge the Gap from Automation to Autonomy

One of the largest (and coolest) demos on the Expo floor showcased how OTTO Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and the beRobox robotic palletizer can combine to create an autonomous palletizing workflow.

The beRobox palletizing system uses Doosan collaborative robots, vision and an innovative, no-code programming approach that can be set up in about five minutes. (see how). Once a pallet is loaded or unloaded, an OTTO AMR can autonomously navigate the plant floor to bring items to and from the palletizer.

This autonomous workflow helps manufacturers overcome rising demand, labor shortages, high turnover, knowledge gaps and safety concerns.

OEMs Gain Flexibility with Panel Optimization Solutions

As manufacturing products and processes become more complex, Rockwell Automation’s panel optimization solutions help OEMs simplify and improve panel design. The Expo floor introduced new devices like the M100 motor starter, Ethernet/IP in-cabinet solutions and PointMax I/O that help reduce panel footprint and engineering complexity.

A New Generation of ControlLogix PLCs is Here

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Automation Fair Expo floor showcased a new generation of ControlLogix PLCs. Rockwell’s L9 series ControlLogix PLC has everything the L8 had and more. It has double the memory, more processing power, dual Ethernet/IP ports, stronger CIP security and built-in redundancy, which improves reliability without additional hardware.

The safety and process control are all in one, so instead of dozens of SKUs, there are just a few part numbers to choose from.