Manufacturers are moving from MES deployment to enterprise-wide performance, but most are struggling to scale
MILWAUKEE, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today released "Scaling MES Across the Enterprise," an industry insights report based on input from 1,560 manufacturing and industrial operations decision makers across 17 countries. The research finds that despite widespread manufacturing execution system (MES) adoption, scaling it across the enterprise has become the defining challenge for manufacturers seeking to drive performance, integration and long-term value.
Most manufacturers have MES running in at least one facility. However, far fewer have made it work consistently across all sites, due to contributing factors such as disconnected systems, underutilized data and rising operational risk, all of which are limiting the value manufacturers can extract from the investments they have already made.
Key findings from the report include:
- MES adoption is widespread, but scale is lagging: 93% of manufacturers have MES in place, yet only 28% have deployed it enterprise-wide and just 23% report full integration across Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), quality and operational technology (OT) systems.
- Integration is the top priority — and the top obstacle: 44% of manufacturers rank integration as their top MES buying requirement. It also ranks as the leading modernization challenge, with 33% citing MES as their biggest data integration problem.
- AI ambition is outpacing operational readiness: Manufacturers expect 42% of processes to be AI-supported within the next year and 54% by 2030. Yet 43% acknowledge they are not effectively using their collected data — the foundation AI requires to perform.
- Resilience is now a buying requirement: 46% of manufacturers experienced a cyber incident in the past year. Security and compliance now rank as the second-highest MES buying requirement, cited by 43% of respondents.
Real-world manufacturers are scaling with Rockwell's MES technology, such as Kumi North America, a Tier 1 automotive supplier specializing in injection-molded interior plastics and assemblies. The longtime customer initially implemented Plex in 2008 and has since deployed the smart manufacturing software in facilities across the United States and Canada. They most recently expanded their usage to include Plex MES Automation & Orchestration (MES A&O).
"Before Plex, our operations struggled to synch and some locations didn't have any software," shared Paul Andrews, assistant vice president of systems, Kumi North America. "Our Plex infrastructure has grown alongside Kumi's expanding business, and we've continued to leverage Plex technology in new ways."
"MES adoption is no longer the hurdle, but enterprise scale is," said Anthony Murphy, vice president of product management, Rockwell Automation. "Manufacturers may have checked the box by making initial investments in MES technology, but many struggle to gain full value across the enterprise. The impact of a MES has also changed—it's shifted from production tracking to providing insights across a company's full operations, like quality management, worker productivity and supply chain forecasting. Additionally, when connectivity is actualized, there are more opportunities to leverage AI technology. Manufacturers winning the race are not doing more than the rest, they're just doing more together. With an elastic, edge-to-cloud MES like Plex, manufacturers can connect all aspects of production right away and then scale however they want over time."
"Manufacturers have moved past the question of whether to adopt MES and are now confronting the harder challenge of scaling it," said Lorenzo Veronesi, associate research director, IDC. "With integration ranking as both the top buying requirement and the leading modernization challenge, organizations risk leaving significant value on the table if disconnected systems and underutilized data go unaddressed."
The recommended steps to address the incumbent gap between the deployment and scaling of MES are mapped out in the full report, available here.
Methodology
This survey reflects input from 1,560 hardware, software and services decision-makers across manufacturing and industrial operations globally. Respondents represent 17 leading manufacturing countries, spanning discrete, process and hybrid industries. More than half (58%) work at organizations with over $1B in annual revenue, and 54% are primary decision-makers.
About Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries as of fiscal year end 2025. To learn more about how we are bringing the Connected Enterprise® to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com.
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93% of Manufacturers Have MES, But Only 23% Have Fully Integrated It, New Rockwell Automation Report Finds
Advanced 2nm SoC delivers leap in performance and efficiency for agentic AI, gaming, imaging, and compute, including 61% drop in multi-core power consumption
HSINCHU, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MediaTek, the world's number one provider of mobile chipsets, today announced the launch of the Dimensity 9600 Pro. This flagship SoC achieved a significant technological milestone, adopting the new 2nm process node; as the first company to announce reaching this threshold, MediaTek is showcasing its leadership in innovation with the Dimensity 9600 Pro. With the next generation of silicon now available in the Dimensity lineup, the Dimensity 9600 Pro will enable many transformative capabilities, combining flagship performance and power efficiency with advanced agentic AI experiences.
"AI is central to the smartphone experience, and devices need greater performance, efficiency, and intelligence to keep pace with rapidly evolving user demands," said JC Hsu, corporate senior vice president at MediaTek and general manager of the Wireless Communications Business Unit. "The Dimensity 9600 Pro meets these demands with a Native AI architecture and dual improvement in performance and power efficiency to deliver new agentic AI experiences."
Improved Compute Performance
The MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro packs a punch, featuring a 2+3+3 All Big Core CPU design which offers faster, more responsive experiences and an impressive 61% reduction in multi-core power consumption. This architecture consists of two C2-Ultra cores with clock speeds up to 4.55GHz, three C2-Pro big cores at 4.35GHz, and three C2-Pro big cores at 3.1GHz. Users will enjoy up to 17% higher single-core performance and up to 15% higher multi-core performance compared to the previous generation.*
Advanced AI Experiences
The Dimensity 9600 Pro's dual-NPU architecture and Agentic AI Engine are designed to power the next generation of on-device AI, enabling smartphones to perceive, reason and act more intelligently while keeping AI experiences secure. Its second-generation Super Efficient NPU reduces power consumption by 40% for always-on AI, while the NPU 1090 delivers 51% higher LLM prefill performance, 55% higher Token generation per watt*, and supports complex on-device applications, including models up to 30B parameters. This enables new agentic AI capabilities such as smart analysis of on-device data, proactive assistance, and personalized responses that learn your preferences and act like a digital twin.
AI Computing Fusion Architecture on the Dimensity 9600 Pro brings together the CPU and NPU to create a powerful foundation for AI computing, supported by a larger 34.5MB cache and, for the first time, LPDDR6 memory and UFS 5.0 storage. Its upgraded Dimensity Scheduling Engine coordinates hardware and software to intelligently allocate computing, power and memory resources, helping smartphone manufacturers deliver fast, power-efficient systems that keep multiple applications running smoothly in the background.
Smoother Gaming
Integrating the G2-Ultra NX GPU, the Dimensity 9600 Pro shines at gaming. The latest GPU delivers up to 27% higher peak performance, 24% lower power consumption at peak performance, and 18% faster raytracing, for higher console-grade gaming on-device at up to 185fps. Building on this powerful GPU foundation, the new MediaTek Dimensity Neural Graphics Architecture combines GPU and AI computing. MediaTek HyperEngine further optimizes gameplay to provide smoother, more immersive, high-resolution gaming.
High-quality Imaging
Additionally, the Dimensity 9600 Pro features the Imagiq 1290 ISP and new Dimensity AI Imaging Fusion Architecture, combining ISP and NPU capabilities to deliver advanced computational photography and content creation. It supports NPU-powered 60fps motion capture and introduces 4K240 native direct-output ultra-slow-motion video to the Dimensity platform, alongside 4K60 AI True Color Tone, 4K120 cinematic log and 17EV imaging for high-quality photos and videos across a range of shooting scenarios.
The MediaTek Dimensity 9600M: Bringing Flagship Experiences to More Users
In addition to the Dimensity 9600 Pro, MediaTek is introducing the Dimensity 9600M. This upcoming chipset will ensure flagship-level performance and power efficiency is accessible to more users, combining MediaTek's signature high-performance computing cores and power efficiency expertise with the company's advanced hardware and software technologies. Across AI, imaging, gaming and everyday performance, the Dimensity 9600M uses the latest Agentic AI Engine and Dimensity Scheduling Engine to deliver intelligent, responsive and power-efficient experiences.
Its powerful NPU enables advanced on-device AI, including always-on perception and real-time AI-enhanced imaging, while its ISP supports professional-quality imaging and real-time tracking. For gamers, MediaTek HyperEngine enables smooth gameplay at up to 185fps, while advanced connectivity technologies help deliver fast, reliable mobile experiences. Together, these capabilities give users a more responsive, intelligent and immersive smartphone experience without compromising power efficiency.
The first smartphones powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro and Dimensity 9600M are expected to launch this quarter. To learn more about the MediaTek Dimensity flagship portfolio, please visit: https://www.mediatek.com/products/smartphones/dimensity-5g
About MediaTek Inc.
MediaTek (TWSE: 2454) is a global leader in fabless semiconductor design, providing solutions from the edge to the cloud. Powering over 2 billion connected devices every year, MediaTek's leading-edge technology keeps the world connected and enhances everyday life. At the forefront of innovation, MediaTek drives advancements in transformative technologies such as AI, 5G/6G, and Wi-Fi 7/Wi-Fi 8. Our high-performance, power-efficient products form the foundation for a smarter, more connected world, enabling devices from smartphones, smart homes and AI PCs to high-performance computing, automotive, and AI data centers. As a trusted partner to the world's leading brands, MediaTek leads the industry in creating solutions that meet the evolving needs of the global community, ensuring access to world-class technology for everyone. Our commitment to accelerating AI underscores our dedication to enriching the future of humanity.
Visit http://www.mediatek.com for more information.
*Performance metrics achieved via demo device testing in MediaTek labs.
CONTACT: Kevin Keating, pr@mediatek.com
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MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro Sets New Standard for Flagship Smartphone Chips
