A new era for manufacturers?
Digitalisation is becoming the backbone of how modern food and drink producers stay competitive, resilient and sustainable.
Rockwell Automation’s recent work with Liquats Vegetals in Spain is a sharp example of what this shift really looks like in practice, and why it matters for producers across Europe.
At its core, digitalisation is about turning the complexity of modern manufacturing into clarity. Rockwell’s collaboration with Liquats Vegetals shows how powerful that clarity can be.
The plant‑based beverage sector is one of the fastest‑moving in Europe, with producers juggling more formulations, more changeovers, and more pressure to reduce energy use and prove sustainability credentials. Liquats needed a way to see — and understand — everything happening inside its plants in real time.
Rockwell delivered that through three key technologies: the PlantPAx system for flexible, recipe‑driven control; FactoryTalk Energy Manager for real‑time energy visibility; and DataMosaix to unify production, sustainability and utility data into one actionable view. Together, they give Liquats something every producer wants: the ability to make better decisions, faster.
This is where the real potential lies. Digitalisation isn’t just about dashboards or data streams — it’s about reducing variability, tightening resource use, and building plants that can adapt as consumer expectations shift. For food and drink manufacturers, that means fewer surprises, more consistency and a clearer path to hitting sustainability targets without compromising throughput or quality.
As energy costs fluctuate, as retailers demand tighter traceability, and as consumers expect more choice with less environmental impact, producers need systems that help them respond in real time. Digitalisation gives them that agility.
And the best part? These systems don’t replace people — they empower them. Operators gain insight. Engineers gain control. Leadership gains confidence. Plants become smarter not by removing human expertise, but by amplifying it.
Rockwell’s work shows that digital transformation isn’t a future ambition anymore. It’s happening now, and it’s reshaping how food and drink manufacturers think about efficiency, sustainability and growth.
