Close×

Digitising manufacturing processes can deliver significant financial savings of up to 80 per cent in capital expenditure and 85 per cent in operational expenditure.

A new report from energy management and automation specialist Schneider Electric examines 230 customer projects from the last five years, and finds that digitisation saved them an average 24 per cent in energy consumption alone, while digitising engineering processes can save an average of 35 per cent in capital expenditure and time optimisation.

It can also reduce commissioning costs of new systems and assets by an average of 29 per cent, according to Neil Smith, VP of industry at Schneider Electric.

“In Industrial applications, digital transformation allows businesses to do more with less — more yield with less energy, fewer materials, and fewer labour hours.

“Increased productivity, up to 50%, results from energy management and automation efficiencies across the value chain, from IoT-enabled tracking to automated production lines,” he said.

Digitising both energy management and automation can deliver even greater value as the two work in concert, said Gareth O’Reilly, country president at Schneider Electric.

“Digital transformation is the only way of delivering consistency and efficiency across a company. Technologies such as the Internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence and big data analytics are making companies more efficient and innovative, boosting their competitive advantage.

“This report indicates that many businesses and organisations need a trusted authority to manage this complexity to unlock the full potential of digital transformation,” he said.

The Digital Transformation Benefits report is available here.

Food & Drink Business

Linfox is rolling out the first of 26 battery-powered prime movers to service food and beverage distribution across Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. The $50 million project has been supported by $19.63 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) Driving the Nation Program.

Food Taipei Mega Shows 2026 opens 24-27 June, bringing together five major exhibitions under one roof – Food Taipei, Foodtech Taipei, Bio/Pharmatech Taiwan, Taipei Pack, and Taiwan Horeca. Food & Drink Business senior journalist, Keira Joyce, will be on the ground reporting on the latest products and innovation.

The Royal National Capital Agricultural Society has announced winners of the 2026 National Wine Show of Australia, with Western Australian wines taking out the top trophies. Xanadu Wines received the Prime Minister’s Trophy for its 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon.