Chennai: US-based Rockwell Automation has added two factories in Chennai in recent years, taking its manufacturing base in the city to three, as demand rises for its products, particularly from data centres and semiconductor manufacturing.“There’s just been a very significant uptick in the demand globally,” Dilip Sawhney, MD, Rockwell Automation India, said, referring to data centre demand. The new factory is dedicated to the company’s Cubic line, which makes modular enclosures and electrical panel components for sectors including data centres, semiconductors, renewable power and mining.The three plants make industrial automation systems, engineered electrical systems and modular enclosures for India and global supply chains, the company said. Its new semiconductor-focused plant, in production for nearly a year, makes power and electrical infrastructure for chip manufacturing, including panels that power process tools. The panels are currently supplied to Asia-Pacific markets. Sawhney said customers are primarily global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that serve fabs. Rockwell said its scope could represent roughly 1-3% of a fab’s total capex and covers areas such as facility, utility automation, process-tool integration and cybersecurity.Consumer-facing industries such as automotive, tyres, packaged goods and pharma, along with process industries such as metals and cement, have been the biggest contributors to Rockwell’s revenue in India, Sawhney said. Electronics, semiconductors and data centres are now adding to the mix.
