Rockwell Automation, Microsoft enter five-year partnership on cloud solutions

Rockwell Automation and Microsoft have announced a five-year partnership expansion to develop solutions that help industrial customers improve their digital capabilities through cloud technology.

Microsoft and Rockwell are working to deliver edge-to-cloud-based solutions that connect information between development, operations and maintenance teams through a singular, trusted data environment.

This will allow development teams to digitally prototype, configure and collaborate without investing in costly physical equipment. This unified information environment also enables IT and OT teams to not only securely access and share data models across the organization, but with their ecosystem of partners as well.

Organizations can access Rockwell Automation solutions now via the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, with more solutions currently in development.

The next phase of co-innovation solutions will be available to joint customers of Rockwell Automation and Microsoft customers in Q1 2021 at Rockwell’s Automation Fair At Home.

“This partnership provides Rockwell Automation and Microsoft customers with a holistic, simple solution for IIoT development and operations and removes data silos that hinder industrial digital transformation initiatives,” says Blake Moret, chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation.

“By eliminating a core barrier to automation initiatives, industrial organizations establish a digital thread connecting the entire enterprise, which in turn accelerates innovation, maximizes productivity and optimizes operations.”

To date, the companies have co-developed over 20 use cases across food and beverage, household and personal care and life sciences industries.