COMPANY PROFILE
transformation. Jamie explained, “Previously, we would have
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION NEEDS A PRAGMATIC APPROACH
Another interesting observation from Jamie is the shift in how manufacturers are approaching digital transformation. In the past, the phrase itself could send shivers down the spines of many CTOs, often implying that everything needs to change at once. In 2026, however, a more pragmatic approach is emerging. Companies are increasingly asking, “What’s the next sensible step?” rather than, “How do we transform the entire business?” Manufacturers are becoming increasingly selective
in how they invest in new technology, favouring lower-risk projects that address specifi c operational challenges rather than embarking on large-scale transformation programmes. With budgets under pressure and the need to demonstrate value quickly, many organisations are adopting a project- by-project approach, focusing on areas where improvements in effi ciency, accuracy or productivity can be clearly measured. This allows businesses to tackle immediate pain points without committing signifi cant resources upfront, whilst reducing the disruption often associated with major system overhauls. As a result, return on investment has become a central consideration, with manufacturers seeking technologies that can deliver tangible operational benefi ts and provide a clear business case before wider deployment. Successful projects can then be scaled across the organisation, creating a more gradual and manageable path to digital
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large implementations where people would be committing to multi-million-pound technology rollouts. Now we’re seeing that broken down into smaller projects, allowing them to solve a particular problem in a particular area without the need for immediate wholesale change. “They are still upgrading and standardising across the board, but they’ll tackle it in smaller chunks, and we’re ideally placed to support that.”
AI AND CYBERSECURITY ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
Artifi cial intelligence remains one of the most talked-about technologies in manufacturing, but Jamie is keen to avoid the hype. Rather than rushing headlong into AI adoption, many manufacturers are taking a more measured approach, ensuring their infrastructure, devices and processes are ready to take advantage of future developments when the time is right. The focus, he says, is on creating the
foundations that will support future innovation. For manufacturers, that means investing in the hardware, connectivity and operational infrastructure needed to embrace new technologies without disrupting existing operations. He added, “Everybody talks about AI these days. Businesses are increasingly investing in AI-ready hardware today so they can take advantage of future AI-enabled applications as they become available.
“When the software is ready to allow devices
to make use of those AI capabilities, we’re ready to gear businesses up for the next stage.” At the same time, as devices become increasingly connected and capable, cybersecurity is moving beyond the IT department and becoming an operational concern.
Connected assets can create new risks if they are not properly managed and maintained. From fi rmware updates and device authentication to wider compliance requirements, security increasingly plays a central role in operational resilience. As manufacturers continue their digital transformation journeys and prepare for more advanced AI- enabled technologies, ensuring the right protections are in place will be just as important as deploying the technology itself. “We’re seeing a lot of growth within the print
market, particularly with the new requirements that printers can’t go out without some kind of authentication or PIN number, making sure that they’re encrypted and making sure that printers are protected as well,” said Jamie. “Printers are just put in and left, but that can be a
vulnerability in an operation, so making sure they’re included as part of that managed service is really important.”
LOOKING AHEAD So, amid growing demand and technological advances, what does the future look like for Irish manufacturing?
According to Jamie, the future is extremely bright
for the sector and Renovotec. He concluded, “In fi ve years, I still expect the
manufacturing market to be thriving. With localised support, we’re well placed to facilitate this growth and help companies to solve problems in terms of accuracy and effi ciency and improve processes. “The overriding message from us is that we see
the Irish market, particularly manufacturing areas, as a big growth area and a market that we’re going to be ideally placed to support.”
renovotec.com Irish Manufacturing September/October 202613
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