What Process and Data Automation does

Process and Data Automation (PDA) is a CSIA-certified industrial control systems integration firm founded in September 2002 in Erie, Pennsylvania, and operating today as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Germany's Krones Group (acquired in 2017). The firm designs, programs, and commissions automation systems for North American manufacturers, combining physical automation (PLC/PAC, HMI/SCADA, instrumentation, equipment retrofits) with digitalization services (MES/OEE, IIoT/Industry 4.0, industrial networking, manufacturing intelligence, and cybersecurity) on a platform-agnostic foundation spanning Rockwell Automation, Inductive Automation Ignition, GE Vernova, Wonderware, Siemens, and Schneider Electric. Its primary customers are enterprise food and beverage manufacturers (breweries, beverage producers, baked goods, ice cream, snacks, dairy, pet food) as well as select consumer packaged goods, pet care, and industrial/municipal operations, with named engagements including Niagara Bottling and a worldwide packaged-pies leader.

The company's product and service portfolio is organized around an OEE-focused offering (Consulting, Line Performance Assessment, Agnostic Performance Boosting Tool, Fractional Continuous Improvement) and an Expertise suite (Automation Engineering, Digitalization Group, Project Management, Plant Support Services, Hypercare post-project support, and the eQS electronic quality system). PDA is currently developing a Manufacturing Intelligence Platform on Ignition Perspective, with pilot deployments underway and production availability anticipated by end of Q2 2026, and serves as KRONES.digital's execution arm in North America, deploying Krones' MES, Analytics, Line Management System, Shop Floor Guidance, and ReadyKit solutions.

PDA generates revenue primarily through project-based professional services and managed services contracts delivered via direct enterprise field sales to North American manufacturers. The firm employs between 11 and 50 people, holds CSIA certification (currently on its fifth certification), Premier Integrator status with Inductive Automation's Ignition, and Rockwell Automation Recognized Systems Integrator status for both Controls and Information disciplines. In 2025, PDA announced a second U.S. office in either the I-4 corridor (central Florida) or I-77 corridor (Carolinas), expanded its workforce with hires including Ryan Salvato, and launched the Adoption Assurance Program and Manufacturing Intelligence Platform, indicating a strategic shift toward recurring software-driven engagements layered on top of its core integration practice.

Name

Process and Data Automation

Legal name

Process and Data Automation, LLC

Website

https://processanddata.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Process and Data Automation is a CSIA-certified industrial control systems integrator and Krones Group subsidiary that designs, programs, and commissions automation and digitalization solutions for North American food, beverage, and consumer packaged goods manufacturers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits) (IMAGABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian) (IMAHAHAJ), Process & Batch Control Software (Recipe Management, ISA-88) (IMAGABAH)

Keywords

• Industrial control systems integration
• Automation engineering services
• Manufacturing digitalization solutions
• OEE consulting services
• SCADA and MES integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Erie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Industrial Control Systems Integration: Professional services for design, programming, and commissioning of automation systems. Includes multiplatform PLC/PAC programming, HMI/SCADA systems, instrumentation, equipment retrofits, and control system documentation.
2. OEE Consulting Services: Consulting engagements for Overall Equipment Effectiveness optimization including assessments, data-driven insights, tailored improvement strategies, and technology/automation integration.
3. Plant Support Services: Technical augmentation contracts designed to augment existing Maintenance and Engineering teams. Services include 24/7 troubleshooting, staff augmentation, and service agreements.
4. Digitalization Solutions: IT/OT integration services including MES/OEE, industrial networking, manufacturing intelligence, IIoT/Industry 4.0, cybersecurity, virtualization, and digitalization strategy.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Process and Data Automation is a CSIA-certified industrial control systems integration firm that designs, programs, and commissions factory automation (PLC/PAC, HMI/SCADA, instrumentation) and digitalization (MES, OEE, IIoT, manufacturing intelligence) for North American manufacturers, primarily in food and beverage, CPG, and industrial sectors. As Krones Group's North American Industrial IT Provider, PDA also delivers and supports the KRONES.digital product suite (MES, Analytics, Line Management, Shop Floor Guidance). The firm layers proprietary tools (APB Tool, eQS, Manufacturing Intelligence Platform) on a vendor-agnostic technology stack and supplements delivery with ongoing Plant Support Services and Hypercare post-project support.

Product overview

Process and Data Automation is a CSIA-certified industrial control systems integration firm offering a portfolio of professional services and software products. Core service offerings include OEE Consulting, Line Performance Assessment, Fractional Continuous Improvement staffing, Automation Engineering (PLC/PAC, HMI/SCADA), Digitalization Group (MES/OEE, IIoT), Project Management, Plant Support Services, and Hypercare post-project support. Software products include the Agnostic Performance Boosting (APB) Tool for cross-system performance optimization and eQS for digital quality checks. The company is developing a Manufacturing Intelligence Platform (built on Ignition Perspective) targeting pilot deployment in 2025 and production availability in Q2 2026. As a member of the Krones Group, PDA also implements KRONES.digital solutions including MES, Analytics, Line Management System, Shop Floor Guidance, and ReadyKit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KRONES.digital: Krones' IT products brand bringing together the IT products of the Krones Group under a single roof, comprising Manufacturing Execution System (MES), Process Control System and innovative cloud solutions. PDA serves as KRONES.digital's execution arm in North America.
• HYPERCARE by PDA
• eQS
• Agnostic Performance Boosting (APB) Tool
• PDA Proven Process

Products and services

• OEE Consulting Expert consulting services to help manufacturers maximize Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) through assessments, data-driven insights, tailored improvement strategies, and technology/automation integration; intended for plant operations leaders seeking continuous improvement.
• Line Performance Assessment Precision analysis service delivering actionable insights to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and hidden capacity across production lines, including a prioritized optimization roadmap; for manufacturers seeking production-line performance baseline and improvement plan.
• Agnostic Performance Boosting (APB) Tool Data-driven software solution that identifies, isolates, and addresses bad data and poor performance across any industry or system architecture; features bad data detection and correction, performance deviation alerts, system-agnostic integration, root cause traceability, and continuous improvement enablement; sold to manufacturers needing to optimize production performance across heterogeneous systems.
• Fractional Continuous Improvement Fractional CI staffing service providing embedded expert support for OEE improvement, Lean initiatives, Six Sigma projects, and plant performance enhancement with on-site or remote delivery; for manufacturers needing senior CI expertise without a full-time hire.
• Automation Engineering Physical automation system design, programming, and commissioning including multiplatform PLC/PAC programming, HMI/SCADA systems, instrument integration, equipment retrofits, and control system documentation; for manufacturers commissioning new lines or upgrading obsolete controls.
• Digitalization Group (DSG) Industrial IT solutions including MES/OEE systems, industrial networking, manufacturing intelligence, and IIoT/Industry 4.0 implementations built on commercially available off-the-shelf technology adapted to specific requirements; for IT/OT leaders pursuing digital transformation of plant operations.
• Project Management Full project lifecycle management covering initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closing with expertise in scope definition, budget management, and KPI-based performance tracking; delivered as part of broader automation/digitalization engagements.
• Plant Support Services Technical augmentation contracts designed to augment existing Maintenance and Engineering teams, offering 24/7 troubleshooting, staff augmentation, and service agreements across diverse technologies; for plants needing reliable on-call automation expertise.
• Hypercare by PDA Post-project support program keeping PDA's team active as part of the client team throughout the system lifecycle; includes 40 hours of support over 6 months, monthly remote system checks, monthly client calls, and ad-hoc improvements; for clients needing structured continuity beyond commissioning.
• eQS (Electronic Quality System) Digital, paperless quality check system for production team accountability and lasting records, with batch verification, during-run quality checks, and area change control; powered by Ignition with flexible, scalable configuration; for regulated manufacturers needing digital batch and quality records.
• Manufacturing Intelligence Platform Branded, configurable software framework providing actionable insight into equipment performance and improved production efficiency, built on Ignition Perspective with vendor-agnostic architecture supporting multi-vendor environments; features line visualization, maintenance dashboards, charts/trends, and reports; targeted at manufacturers wanting real-time production intelligence without infrastructure overhaul.
• KRONES.digital Solutions Holistic IT solution comprising Manufacturing Execution System (MES), Process Control System, and cloud solutions including Analytics (reporting), Line Management System LM (order management), Shop Floor Guidance (collaboration app), and ReadyKit (brownfield integration); delivered by PDA as KRONES.digital's execution arm for North American Krones-installed lines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced project risk through in-house SCADA lab testing prior to on-site implementation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Krones GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKrones Group acquired PDA in 2017 to serve as their digitalization arm in North America. PDA is Krones' North American Industrial IT Provider and KRONES.digital's execution arm. Krones designs, develops, manufactures, and installs machines and complete packaging lines for breweries, beverage producers, and food, chemical, and cosmetics industries with 16,000 employees worldwide.
• Inductive AutomationcoreTechnology or IntegrationPremier Integrator status (highest level) in the Ignition Integrator Program. PDA builds solutions using Ignition software platform including Perspective for manufacturing intelligence applications. Partnership supports over 4,000 system integrators globally.
• Rockwell AutomationcoreTechnology or IntegrationRockwell Automation recognized systems integrator for the Controls discipline as well as one of 28 recognized integrators in North America for the Information discipline. PDA uses Rockwell CompactLogix controllers and PowerFlex drives.
• Control System Integrators Association (CSIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSIA certification since 2012 with community sharing best practices, delivery experiences, and product support. PDA President Jeremy Anderson featured on CSIA Podcast. PDA leads the Line Management peer group development with CSIA community involvement.
• Penn State Erie, Behrend CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPDA partners with Penn State Erie Behrend College for Senior Design activities and Knowledge Park collaboration. Manages intern program through this partnership.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Matrix Technologies: Matrix Technologies is a US-based industrial control systems integrator that delivers automation, MES, and digitalization services to process manufacturers including food, beverage, and consumer products. Highly comparable in size, CSIA certification, and verticals served.
• MAVERICK Technologies: MAVERICK Technologies, now part of Rockwell Automation, is a leading US control systems integrator offering enterprise-wide automation solutions across F&B and process industries. Comparable scale and scope, with deep plant-floor digitalization and MES capabilities.
• Automation IG: Automation IG is a US independent control systems integration firm delivering SCADA, MES, and automation services to manufacturing clients. Comparable service mix, size, and reliance on platform-agnostic integration approaches.
• Huffman Engineering: Huffman Engineering is a CSIA-certified control systems integrator based in the Midwest serving food, beverage, life sciences, and industrial customers. Similar size, certifications, and project-based integration model.
• InSource Solutions: InSource Solutions is a recognized Rockwell Automation systems integrator focused on plant-floor automation, MES, and operational intelligence for manufacturers. Directly competitive in the Industrial IT / Information discipline within the same Rockwell Integrator program.
• Hallam-ICS: Hallam-ICS is a CSIA-certified control systems integration firm offering PLC/SCADA, MES, and OEE services across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic with strong F&B/process industry exposure — directly comparable to PDA on geography, certifications, and service portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Rockwell Automation: Rockwell Automation is the largest US industrial automation vendor whose product lines (CompactLogix, FactoryTalk) form the backbone of PDA's solutions; it also runs its own Solutions and Services business that competes with SI partners like PDA for large integration projects.
• Honeywell Process Solutions: Honeywell Process Solutions is a global automation incumbent serving beverage, F&B, chemicals, and pharma via Experion DCS and Forge software. Competes with PDA for large-factory digitalization engagements through both direct delivery and partner ecosystems.
• Siemens Digital Industries: Siemens Digital Industries sells industrial automation software and hardware (TIA Portal, SIMATIC) and provides integration services through Solution Partners and direct teams, addressing the same F&B/process plant-floor modernization opportunity as PDA but at global scale.

Emerging players

• Avanceon: Avanceon is a process automation and digitalization systems integrator active across North America, the Middle East, and South Asia with strong F&B/processing exposure. Overlaps PDA's services (DCS/SCADA, MES) but is earlier-stage / narrower in NA compared to PDA's mature US position.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/process-and-data-automation

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Process and Data Automation