North Coast Electric Company

North Coast Electric and 170 of our customers helped Rockwell Automation celebrate Automation Fair this past week.  Overall, there were more than 9,000 attendees - including PartnerNetwork members and industry analysts from around the world descended on the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.

The theme for Automation Fair 2009 reflected today's manufacturing challenges: "Smart, Safe and Sustainable Manufacturing". This year's event provided invaluable insight to the newest technologies and solutions available to our customers, which help improve plant-wide optimization, machine-builder performance and deliver sustainable production.

Plant-Wide Optimization: A changing global economy is driving manufacturers to seek new continuous improvement methodologies; enabled by the convergence of industrial automation and information technology. Through customer round-table discussions, theater presentations and technical sessions, attendees identified ways to leverage their automation investment to drive innovative engineering, flexible operations and efficient maintenance across their organization.

Machine-Builder Performance: Machine builders manufacture industrial equipment which uses multiple levels of automation technologies, as well as demands flexibility. Rockwell Automation explored and exhibited numerous ways to reduce total cost to design, develop and deliver machines which improve time to market.

Sustainable Production: North Coast Electric and Rockwell Automation recognize Sustainable production has the single most important long-term solution to the ever-increasing cost of energy, raw materials, environmental regulations, workers' compensation and product liabilities. Our solutions help manufacturers overcome today's economic pressures, achieve long-term business goals, improve global competitiveness and brand value; while delivering a positive impact on society and our environment.

"Our goal this year is to help customers make the most of their investment in automation and information technology, improve their competitiveness, and make sure they are well-positioned to capitalize on the economic recovery," said Keith Nosbusch, Rockwell Automation chairman and CEO. "Plant-wide optimization represents a new era in manufacturing. Companies making the investment are better-positioned to address new sustainability objectives and respond to changes in consumer demand."

Also highlighted at this year's Automation Fair event:

• Industrial energy management "greenprint", which helps manufacturers take an "inside-out" approach to energy management
• The launch of the FactoryTalk VantagePoint EMI software and FactoryTalk Historian Machine Edition software
• A portfolio of integrated motion solutions over EtherNet/IP
• A new series of servers and workstations for building a process automation system
• The official release of the new PowerFlex 753 variable speed drive; the second member of the next generation of PowerFlex 750 Series drives
• Several other new Allen-Bradley products, such as an extension to the safety light-curtain line, a new safety controller for midrange applications, a new managed switch, two new Allen-Bradley ControlLogix controllers, servo motors and drives, and much more
• Workshops, technical sessions, industry forums, hands-on labs and more than 100 exhibitors were once again an immensely popular attraction

North Coast Electric and Rockwell Automation continue their on-going commitment and partnership to our customers, helping them become more productive, efficient and sustainable. Automation Fair 2009 was the exclamation point to this commitment, as North Coast Electric and 170 customers stayed together at the Hotel Menage in Anaheim, located next door to the Disneyland Theme Park and within walking distance of the Anaheim Convention Center. Based on the overwhelming excitement and positive feedback we received; Automation Fair 2009 was a huge success.