Every disruption tells the same cautionary tale: those who hesitate fall behind, while those who embrace change lead the way. For example, when digital cameras emerged in the late 1990s, many film companies dismissed them or resisted change. Kodak, despite inventing the first digital camera, was hesitant to pivot its business model and instead clung to its film business, ultimately filing for bankruptcy. Countless smaller film processors and photo labs also disappeared, as digital technology transformed the entire industry. Today, disruption—from supply chain volatility to cyber threats—represents a similar threat, and industries that don’t adapt risk the same fate.
Supply chains are fragile, regulations are multiplying, skilled talent is becoming increasingly difficult to find, and technologies like AI and industrial IoT are advancing faster than many businesses can absorb. At the same time, attack surfaces for cybercrime are widening, with annual global costs projected to reach $10.5 trillion this year. The combined effect is relentless pressure on industrial leaders to adapt at speed.
Transforming for resilience
Addressing this pressure requires a step change in how industry operates. Digital transformation—the strategic adoption of digital technologies and the organizational alignment that supports transformation—is this step change. Scaled securely and strategically, it drives measurable gains in productivity, efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
Digital technology is clearly an essential component of digital transformation. However, true transformation also requires:
- Aligned leadership
- Empowered people
- Effective processes
- Cybersecurity at the core
- Trusted partners
Partnerships can prove invaluable in this process. For example, Schneider Electric’s new global consulting initiative, SE Advisory Services, can help companies navigate complexities, accelerate the process, and maintain purpose along their digital transformation journey. Our agnostic consulting expertise—spanning sustainability, energy, asset management, and digital transformation—delivers integrated offers to help organizations thrive in a digital future.
With these in place, industrial businesses can withstand disruption and shape a resilient, sustainable future.
Leading with people and processes
The most successful digital transformations begin with people. Leadership alignment ensures a shared vision, while strong change management practices help prepare employees to adopt new tools and workflows with confidence. Transformation is not about replacing human expertise; it is about empowering people with the tools to contribute more effectively.
Standardized processes, data governance, and clear risk management frameworks further accelerate adoption, allowing digital strategies to scale across multiple sites. When people are engaged and processes are streamlined, digitalization delivers faster and more durable benefits.
Technology as a growth accelerator
Technology is the engine of transformation, but only when carefully aligned with business goals and digital maturity. Next-frontier solutions such as software-defined automation, edge computing, and industrial AI unlock efficiency, flexibility, and ROI at scale. The real differentiator, however, lies in choosing technologies that are scalable and fit-for-context—and in working with trusted partners who can simplify integration and execution.
Nexans offers a powerful example. They partnered with Schneider Electric™ after seeing how our global digital transformation program reduced maintenance time up to 80% and reduced energy costs by 15% across more than 115 sites worldwide. Nexans is now applying the same approach to accelerate its own Industry 4.0 journey and sustainability goals and has seen improvements in energy management, predictive maintenance, and performance, as well as a reduction in raw material consumption.
Similarly, Schneider Electric’s own Lexington Smart Factory demonstrates the measurable outcomes of digitalization, seeing:
- 26% reduction in energy consumption
- 78% cut in CO₂ emissions
- 20% reduction in water use
It’s proof that digital technology, paired with strong partnerships, can rapidly transform industrial performance.
Cybersecurity: The non-negotiable foundation
Scaling digitalization brings enormous benefits, but operations that are not properly managed or secured become increasingly exposed to cyber risk. Industrial environments, with their blend of OT and IT technologies, are now prime targets for cybercrime, with global costs projected to continue to rise. For industrial leaders, resilience depends on embedding cybersecurity into every layer of their digital strategies.
Cybersecurity must be non-negotiable and built in from the beginning, with:
- Continuous monitoring
- Access management
- Operator training
- Compliance with regulations such as NIS2
- OT threat detection
This proactive posture helps protect assets and business continuity, allowing digital initiatives to scale. Without cyber resilience, digitalization cannot deliver on its promise.
Proof in practice: Sustainability and circularity
Real-world examples show definite benefits. Schneider Electric’s collaboration with Glencore is advancing copper circularity across the supply chain, improving efficiency while reducing CO₂ emissions. This initiative highlights how digitalization can go beyond operational gains to deliver systemic sustainability outcomes.
Meanwhile, smart factory programs are proving that digital transformation can successfully scale. Schneider Electric’s factories in France, China, and the U.S. are not only more productive and efficient but also significantly more sustainable. Digitalization, coupled with predictive analytics and industrial internet of things (IoT) technology, is enabling reductions in energy consumption, carbon footprint, and downtime — benefits that compound across entire operations.
The next frontier
As I discussed in my previous blog, analysts have identified three macro trends that are predicted to shape the industrial landscape in the coming years:
- A shift from generative AI to agentic AI
- Integration of processes and assets toward autonomous operations
- Water stewardship as a lever for supply chain resilience
These trends indicate a future in which digitalization is not just about efficiency, but also about rethinking how industries operate in a resource-constrained world. The leaders who adopt these shifts early will set the benchmarks for operational excellence and sustainability in the decade ahead.
A blueprint for leaders
Those who hesitate in times of disruption risk being left behind. Today, the blueprint for resilience is clear: empower people, streamline processes, choose scalable technologies, and embed cybersecurity at the core.
You don’t need to do it alone. Visit our Cybersecurity Services for more information.
To learn more about our end-to-end solutions supported by intelligent software and global expertise, explore our new SE Advisory Services.
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