ABDI Initiative Accelerates Smart Manufacturing

Brazilian manufacturers in the metals and mining sector faced mounting pressure from global competitors with more advanced production capabilities. The country's industrial base needed to accelerate digital transformation to remain viable, but most companies — particularly mid-sized enterprises — lacked direct access to smart manufacturing technologies, skilled personnel to evaluate them, or a clear path to adoption. Without hands-on exposure to IIoT platforms, distributed control systems, and connected manufacturing tools, companies could not make informed investment decisions, leaving Brazil's industrial competitiveness at risk in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.

To close this gap, the Brazilian government and private sector co-founded the ABDI (Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development) Initiative — a public/private consortium designed to give manufacturers direct access to advanced smart manufacturing technologies. The program established a facility offering both physical and remote access to solutions from more than 30 technology suppliers. Rockwell Automation contributed two core platforms: the ThingWorx IIoT software platform, which enables real-time device connectivity, data collection, and industrial analytics; and the PlantPAx distributed control system, a process automation platform designed for complex, continuous manufacturing environments. Companies could evaluate these technologies in a hands-on setting before committing to full-scale deployment, dramatically reducing adoption risk.

The initiative set a target of hosting more than 100 companies within the first 24 months, establishing a structured pipeline for technology adoption across Brazilian industry. Key outcomes include:

• 100+ planned company visits in the first two years, spanning metals, mining, and adjacent manufacturing sectors
• Increased competitiveness for Brazilian-based businesses through direct exposure to IIoT and process automation technologies
• Reduction in adoption barriers by providing hands-on evaluation before capital commitment

The consortium model allowed smaller enterprises to access enterprise-grade technology without bearing the full cost of independent procurement or evaluation.

• Consortium models lower the barrier to adoption: Shared infrastructure across public and private partners gives mid-market manufacturers access to technology they could not independently evaluate or afford.
• Hands-on access accelerates decisions: Manufacturers with physical or remote access to working systems move faster from evaluation to deployment than those relying solely on vendor demonstrations.
• Multi-vendor environments reflect real production complexity: Exposure to 30+ suppliers prepares companies for integration realities, not idealized single-vendor scenarios.
• IIoT platforms require a process control foundation: Pairing ThingWorx with PlantPAx illustrates that connectivity tools deliver more value when built on robust, proven control infrastructure.
• National competitiveness is a viable ROI framing: Framing technology adoption as a strategic imperative — not just an operational improvement — helped secure public sector participation and sustained funding.