Are you responsible for high-level industrial automation programs that span locations, perhaps continents, with multi-year budgets? If so, one truth will become abundantly clear: not all partners are built for the long haul.
Global manufacturers face a complex challenge: how to standardize automation across multiple sites without sacrificing quality, flexibility, or compliance. Success demands more than just a great machine, it requires an automation partner who can scale with your requirements, replicate success across borders, and be able meet diverse local requirements.
So how do you choose a reliable automation partner built for the journey?
1. Proven Experience with Scalable Systems
This isn’t the time to gamble on a vendor’s first large deployment. Look for an industrial automation partner with a track record of delivering repeatable systems to Fortune 500 manufacturers across geographies. Ask about the number of identical or platform-based machines they’ve installed globally. Can they adapt to regional power specs, safety regulations, or operator workflows?
At Keller Technology Corporation, we’ve delivered custom systems to world-class manufacturers across North America, Europe, and APAC with consistency, compliance, and continuity.
2. Build-to-Print and Design & Build Flexibility
Your global automation roadmap won’t always follow the same engagement model. Sometimes you’ll provide a fully defined specification; other times, you’ll need collaborative R&D, prototyping, and co-engineering. The right industrial automation partner must be fluent in both build-to-print and full design/build projects.
KTC brings to the table over 100 years of manufacturing heritage, and we’re as comfortable starting with a tightly specified D&B program as we are executing a BTP program from your documentation.
3. Systems Integration and Controls Expertise
What good is hardware without software that works across every plant? The ideal partner owns not just the mechanical build, but the integration of controls, HMIs, safety logic, and diagnostics that make global systems consistent and compliant. Look for in-house expertise across PLC platforms, robotics, vision, and traceability.
Keller integrates full-system control into every build—and can standardize automation platforms across multiple global sites.
4. Global Reach, Local Support
You want an industrial automation partner that understands global program governance—but still picks up the phone when your local commissioning team has a question. Beware of vendors who subcontract critical functions across time zones without continuity. Look instead for U.S.-based engineering and PM teams that can deploy, train, and support abroad with predictability.
KTC maintains all core engineering and project execution in-house, so your automation strategy stays aligned from day one through global rollout.
Red Flags to Avoid
- One-off success stories without repeatable scale
- Little or no FAT/SAT capacity
- Disjointed documentation or unclear ownership during handoff
Long-Term Thinking Pays Off
Choosing the right automation partner isn’t just about this quarter’s CAPEX. It’s about consistency over the years, reducing rework, and getting better every time you scale. With the right partner, your second install isn’t just a copy, it’s a better version of the first.
Keller Is Your Trusted Industrial Automation Partner
Looking to build scalable automation systems across global sites?
Let’s talk about how Keller Technology can help you build and deploy many automation systems successfully across diverse locations.