🚀 YNOW2026 Preview: Automation Chat with Jawed Chowdhry from Yokogawa! 🤖

[Alper Aktaş]

Next week, key figures from the world of automation will gather in New Orleans! Yokogawa's YNOW2026 User Conference and Exhibition will bring together industry leaders, visionaries, and innovators. The goal? To collectively shape the future of industrial automation, digital transformation, and sustainability!

One of the prominent figures at this exciting event is Jawed Chowdhry, Yokogawa Oprex Lifecycle Business Process Transformation Manager. He will deliver a presentation titled "From Support to Stewardship: Building a Roadmap for Sustainable Operational Performance."

Before the event, we had a brief chat with Jawed Chowdhry about the current state of automation. Here's his perspective:

📈 What are the Key Trends in the Industrial Sector?​

• Aging Infrastructure: Many facilities, especially in North America, are operating with control systems over 20 years old, reaching critical points in their lifecycles. This poses a significant challenge.
  
• Workforce Gap: The retirement of experienced professionals and the inability of new talent to enter the sector quickly enough lead to resource and knowledge gaps in operations.
  
• Complex Regulations and Cybersecurity: As operational technology and digital systems become more interconnected, the regulatory environment, including cybersecurity requirements, is becoming increasingly complex.
  
• Global Competition and Economic Pressures: Customers are being forced to do more with less. Manufacturers are looking for ways to increase efficiency, reliability, and agility while keeping costs under control.
  

🤝 What Does the YNOW2026 Theme "In Tune with Tomorrow – Blending People and Progress" Mean?​

According to Jawed, this theme means aligning innovation with what matters most: people and purpose. While technology plays a critical role in shaping the future, the focus remains on the real business challenges customers face and the outcomes they are trying to achieve. By putting people first and aligning innovation with purpose, we can progress together and achieve meaningful, lasting advancement.