27/9/2008 -Schneider has outlined four megatrends in their business strategy for the automation market, reiterating its commitment to Citect.According to the company, its Automation division represents 29% of their global sales, with a growth of 11% annually and 14.2% profitability. At the opening of the Citect CONNECTS User Conference for Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition/ Manufacturing Execution Systems technologies, the company said automation would allow the industry to achieve more while using less resources.The first strategic megatrend involves looking at energy as an area of critical urgency. Energy needs will increase, but technology needs to reduce carbon emissions and increase efficiency. The problem will be exacerbated by emissions trading schemes and rises in energy prices. The second trend is for the company to look at the emergence of newer economies as an opportunity for the present generation. These include developing a market in China, India, Eastern Europe and South America. The third trend acknowledges the interconnectivity in the modern world. By realising everything can be connected everywhere at anytime, the possibilities for automation blossom. The fourth trend the company intends to observe is the requirement of the global consumer of having only the simplest and the best. This affects the design of solutions, as well as the conceptualisation of new technologies. While acknowledging traditional needs such as safety, reliability and performance, the company also pointed out new requirements such as offering integrated solutions for optimised capex and opex, automation and connectivity everywhere, energy efficiency, ultra secure power for critical applications, and end-to-end services. |
