Automation technologies are so regularly installed with the idea that they will last for years or even decades that it’s no surprise buyers tend to be steadfast in their loyalties to one company or another. Given that, it’s really not a surprise that Automation World’s readers show fairly consistent loyalties year after year as they judge the Leadership in Automation First Team Honorees. But in this, our ninth year of the program, we’re starting to see a few changes as end users wend their way through the maze of new technologies related to the Internet of Things (IIoT), collaborative robots, edge and cloud computing, and more.
An important aspect of our annual awards program continues to be the fact that honorees receive their recognition from an open-ended survey. Rather than being swayed by a set list on a voting form that stays largely unchanged year after year, respondents pull from their own mental reserves about which suppliers have been the most tried and true. But they also know best which new suppliers might have stepped forward to capture new trust in a changing landscape of automation.
Last year, we added a few new automation categories to the list, including IoT platforms, cloud computing and edge computing. As technology continues to change, please do let us know if there are other categories you think we’re missing; or existing categories that need updating.
This list of recommendations from your peers is designed to help you better assess suppliers as you make your product buying decisions in the coming year. Return the favor by letting us know who your preferred suppliers are as well. Stay tuned for voting to open soon for this year’s online survey at www.automationworld.com/leadership. Your input is greatly appreciated.
Actuators & Valves
Festo
SMC
Alarm Management
Emerson
Honeywell Process Solutions
Inductive Automation
Rockwell Automation
Schneider Electric
Siemens Industry
Cables, Connectors & I/O modules
Acromag
Balluff
Helukabel
Murrelektronik
Phoenix Contact
Turck
Wago
Cloud Computing
Aveva
Cisco Systems
Microsoft
Siemens Industry
Data Acquisition Hardware
National Instruments
Opto 22
Phoenix Contact
Red Lion Controls
Sealevel
Siemens Industry
Wago
Drives
ABB
Bosch Rexroth
Lenze
Rockwell Automation
Schneider Electric
Siemens Industry
Yaskawa America
Edge Computing
Advantech Industrial Automation Group
Aveva
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Hilscher North America
Moxa
National Instruments
Opto 22
Rockwell Automation
Siemens Industry
Stratus
Enclosures
Hammond Manufacturing
Pentair/Hoffman
Rittal
Saginaw Control & Engineering
Energy Management
Aveva
Schneider Electric
Siemens Industry
Historian/Data Acquisition Software
Aveva
Honeywell Process Solutions
Inductive Automation
OSIsoft
Rockwell Automation
HMI Hardware
AutomationDirect
B&R Industrial Automation
Beckhoff Automation
IDEC
Pro-face America
Red Lion Controls
Rockwell Automation
Schneider Electric
Siemens Industry
HMI Software
IDEC
Inductive Automation
Red Lion Controls
Rockwell Automation
Siemens Industry
Hydraulic/Pneumatic
Bimba Manufacturing
Bosch Rexroth
Emerson
Festo
Parker Hannifin
Industrial PCs
Advantech Industrial Automation Group
B&R Industrial Automation
Beckhoff Automation
Bosch Rexroth
Moxa
Pro-face America
Schneider Electric
Siemens Industry
Weintek
IoT Platforms
GE Digital
Inductive Automation
Opto 22
Schneider Electric
Siemens Industry
Machine Safety
ABB Jokab Safety
Banner Engineering
Fluke
IDEC
Omron Industrial Automation
Pilz Automation Safety
Rockwell Automation
Schmersal
Schneider Electric
Sick
Maintenance & Reliability Software
Bosch Rexroth
Emerson
Fluke
Honeywell Process Solutions
Schneider Electric
Siemens Industry
MES/MOM Software
Aveva
Epicor Software
Honeywell Process Solutions
Inductive Automation
Rockwell Automation
Siemens Industry
Mobile HMI/SCADA
Aveva
Honeywell Process Solutions
Opto 22
Red Lion Controls
Rockwell Automation
Schneider Electric
Siemens Industry
Motors
ABB
Bosch Rexroth
Lenze
Oriental Motor
Rockwell Automation
SEW-Eurodrive
Siemens Industry
Networking—Wired
Antaira Technologies
Balluff
Belden
Hilscher North America
Moxa
Omron Industrial Automation
Panduit
Rockwell Automation
Softing
Wago
Networking—Wireless
Banner Engineering
Emerson
HMS Industrial Networks
Moxa
Phoenix Contact
ProSoft Technology
Red Lion Controls
Siemens Industry
Wago
PLCs/PACs
IDEC
Mitsubishi Electric Automation
Omron Industrial Automation
Opto 22
Rockwell Automation
Schneider Electric
Siemens Industry
Power Supplies
Balluff
Emerson/SolaHD
IDEC
Omron Industrial Automation
Phoenix Contact
Puls
Siemens Industry
Wago
Process Control Software
Aveva
Emerson
Honeywell Process Solutions
Rockwell Automation
Siemens Industry
Yokogawa
Process Safety
ABB Jokab Safety
Emerson
Honeywell Process Solutions
Pilz Automation Safety
Rockwell Automation
Schneider Electric
Sick
Siemens Industry
Robotics
ABB Robotics
Epson Robots
Fanuc Robotics
KUKA Robotics
Mitsubishi Electric Automation
Omron Industrial Automation
Stäubli
Universal Robots
Yaskawa America
SCADA
Aveva
Emerson
Honeywell Process Solutions
Inductive Automation
Rockwell Automation
Siemens Industry
Sensors—Discrete
Balluff
Banner Engineering
IFM Efector
Pepperl+Fuchs
Sick
Telemecanique
Turck
Sensors—Process
Balluff
Banner Engineering
Emerson
Endress+Hauser
Honeywell Process Solutions
Keyence
Sick
Telemecanique
Simulation & Modeling Software
Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks
Emerson
Emerson (formerly Mynah Technologies)
Eplan
Siemens PLM
Vision Systems
Banner Engineering
Cognex
Epson
IDEC
Omron Industrial Automation
Sick
Teledyne Dalsa
