Assembly Show Attendees Gravitate Towards System Integrators – Why?

As a first-time exhibitor at this year’s The Assembly Show, we were pleased that many customers approached our booth to discuss what they were gravitating towards a systems integrator as a solution to their challenges. These manufacturing professionals described their attraction to integrators in the following ways:

1. Vendor Independence Leads to Unbiased Selections

• Integrators don’t have a vested interest in one technology or the other and won’t “push” a specific product. This means integrators are often better positioned to evaluate the application and match it with the best technology available.
• System integrators understand the entire component supplier ecosystem and have cultivated industry expertise across the full spectrum of suppliers. End users can cut through the noise and no longer have to evaluate each individual technology provider when they partner with an integrator. Systems integrators quickly direct the conversation to the right fit based on their broad experience.

2. Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf System Determinations are “Easier”

• Buy vs. make decisions can seem complicated.  Each application is different and there may or may not be an off-the-shelf solution that works.  System integrators specialize in understanding the technology choices available and what solutions can be purchased and easily adapted, or when a custom solution is needed. On a custom machine, these buy/make decisions are determined on each sub-system by the integrator to guarantee both the technical and commercial project requirements are met.
• Even when clients believe buying an off-the-shelf system is the more cost-effective and quicker solution, many times it has more functionality and complexity than is necessary. System integrators can take a step back, evaluate, and offer cost- and/or schedule- effective alternatives. These may be custom designed and built systems that are exactly what is required for the application, budget, and timeline, and nothing more.

ACS is constantly growing our expertise and supplier ecosystem to stay a preferred system integrator of choice. It would be great to understand why you want to work with an integrator on your next automation project.