Dairy Production Automation

Expand, Modernize, and Optimize Your Dairy Operations With Automation Solutions

A line of milk bottles with blue caps on a conveyor belt in a dairy processing plant.

- Dairy
- Dairy
- Bakery
- Bakery
- Beverage
- Beverage
- Brewery
- Brewery
- Prepared Foods
- Prepared Foods
- Protein Processing
- Protein Processing
Sustainability

Smart Manufacturing Solutions for Your Dairy Operations

Global demand for protein-rich dairy products is accelerating, fueled by an explosion in demand for healthy proteins and value-added products. But this growth brings significant complexity. Dairy producers today face volatile commodity markets, rising production costs, and escalating energy expenses. Workforce scarcity remains a top priority for executives as the global manufacturing labor shortage is projected to reach 7.9 million by 2030. Furthermore, producers must navigate farm-related issues like disease and health management, water scarcity, and intensifying consumer and government demands for sustainability and stringent regulatory compliance, such as FSMA 204.

Fonterra Co-operative Group's Digital Journey

Case Study

Fonterra Co-operative Group's Digital Journey

Hear about Fonterra Co-operative Group's journey to leverage digital transformation to inspire trust across manufacturing and enterprise functions.

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Rockwell Automation: Your Partner in Dairy Excellence

We help dairy producers react quickly to shifting consumer preferences and demand while addressing workforce challenges, rising costs, and increased operational risk. Our approach centers on modernization strategies and the optimization of operations to deliver flexible, integrated, and scalable data-enabled solutions. Whether you’re building a new facility or upgrading a legacy site, we partner with you to bring new capacity online faster and to enable future-ready operations.

Market Volatility

Dairy producers face volatile commodity markets, rising production costs, and increasing energy expenses.

Workforce Scarcity

A global manufacturing labor shortage and the struggle to find skilled workers rank as top priorities for dairy executives.

Operational Complexity

Producers must manage a marked increase in SKUs while dealing with aging equipment that limits productivity and amplifies risk.

Regulatory and Safety Pressures

Stringent requirements like FSMA 204 for traceability and PMO/NCIMS for facility design create high entry barriers and risks for new capacity.

Sustainability Demands

There are increasing consumer and government demands for water conservation, waste reduction, and the phase-down of HFC refrigerants.

Expand Capacity: Resilient and Agile Growth

With dairy processors investing a record $11 billion in new processing capacity in the U.S. alone, speed and resilience are critical. Rockwell Automation enables a faster time to market with less risk by providing a digital core for day-one readiness.

Greenfield Readiness

We implement ISA-95-aligned architectures that integrate PLC/SCADA, MES, and ERP systems from the start to achieve seamless data flow and regulatory compliance. We also deploy digital twins and unified process and power control to optimize dairy operations.

Scalable Footprint

Our solutions create a sustainable new capacity footprint that can adapt to changing production needs and SKU increases.

Proven Results

We helped Noosa Yoghurt transition from manual operations to streamlined automation, resulting in a 300% increase in production capacity.

Modernize: Overcome Aging Infrastructure

Aging equipment and disconnected systems are limiting productivity, hindering competitiveness, and amplifying enterprise risk. Rising maintenance costs, component obsolescence, cyber threats, and skilled workforce shortages are key drivers for modernization.

A man sits at a desk typing on a keyboard and looking at a computer in an office

Enable workforce simplification

We unify disparate systems and disciplines under a single Integrated Architecture®, reducing the complexity of user screens and tools for your staff.

Technician inspects industrial equipment in factory

Enhance decision-making

Move from siloed information to integrated, holistic insights that provide a single version of truth across the plant floor.

Development team works at a desk in an office, pointing at computer screens.

Mitigate risk

Adopt a modern, future-ready architecture to defend against cybersecurity attacks and minimize the risk of hardware obsolescence.

Factory worker holds tablet, inspecting equipment tanks in dairy factory

Accelerate time to value

Shift from custom, service-intensive integrations to pre-integrated solutions that deliver faster ROI.

Factory worker in protective uniform inspects stainless steel tanks in industrial factory.

Support your workforce

Align your investments and innovation with knowledge capture and management, workflow optimization, and workforce collaboration.

Optimize: Data-driven Performance

Improve Visibility

Transition from paper-based or siloed systems to a digitally integrated Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for real-time production tracking and full lot traceability.

Leverage AI-driven Insights

Enhance decision-making by shifting from reactive analysis to predictive and prescriptive insights. For example, using LogixAI® and PavilionX Model Predictive Control (MPC), producers can achieve a 60% reduction in product variability and significant yield increases.

Accelerate Response Times

Move from manual interventions to autonomous, system- wide closed-loop control systems that optimize processes. For example, by monitoring and adjusting moisture automatically, MPC reacts in seconds to help prevent off-spec product and maximize throughput for powder production.

Improve Efficiency

Fonterra achieved a 20% improvement in OEE through digital transformation, while Agropur saved 2,500 hours annually by automating manual data collection.

Optimize Sustainability and W.A.G.E.S.

Optimize water, air, gas, electricity, and steam usage. For example, Idaho Jersey Girls Dairy achieved a 50% reduction in chemical usage by integrating their milking operations.

Dairy Redefines Efficiency & Sustainability

Case Study

Dairy Redefines Efficiency & Sustainability

Working with system integrator Automation Werx, Idaho Jersey Girls Dairy makes integrated milking operations a reality with PlantPAx DCS.

Agropur Gains 30 Hours of Annual Production Time

Case Study

Agropur Gains 30 Hours of Annual Production Time

Agropur’s largest facility needed manufacturing intelligence for continuous improvements. They discovered 30 hours of additional production time per year.

Let’s talk about the results you want to achieve.

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