Paul Viorel

Paul Viorel
Leveraging MQTT Brokers for Scalable Manufacturing Data Exchange
· Discrete Manufacturing

Leveraging MQTT Brokers for Scalable Manufacturing Data Exchange

The ability to efficiently manage and distribute data is critical for modern manufacturing operations. As factories become more digitized, the need for real-time, scalable, and flexible data communication systems has increased. MQTT brokers provide a solution that helps manufacturers streamline industrial IoT (IIoT) data exchange while reducing complexity and improving efficiency.Challenges in Industrial Data CommunicationManufacturing environments consist […]

Read more →
AI at the Edge of the Factory Floor: What’s Real, What’s Next
· Discrete Manufacturing

AI at the Edge of the Factory Floor: What’s Real, What’s Next

At Hannover Messe 2025, the excitement around industrial AI was palpable—but beneath the buzz, Ozgur Tohumcu of AWS shared a candid view of where manufacturing still lags and where AI is starting to deliver measurable value.Despite years of investment, many manufacturers are still struggling to turn decades of collected data into real-time, decision-grade insight. The […]

Read more →
How Data is Rebuilding Manufacturing from the Edge Up
· Discrete Manufacturing

How Data is Rebuilding Manufacturing from the Edge Up

An industry conversation with Pugal Janakiraman, Global Manufacturing CTO at Snowflake, and Evan Kaplan, CEO of InfluxData. Manufacturing’s Data Mindset Is ChangingManufacturers have long relied on data to understand what went wrong—after the fact. When a production line stalled, or equipment failed, teams scrambled to gather scattered information to trace the root cause. That reactive model […]

Read more →
The Silent Barriers to Industrial Competitiveness
· Discrete Manufacturing

The Silent Barriers to Industrial Competitiveness

At Hannover Messe 2025, industrial competitiveness emerged as a dominant theme, sparking discussions beyond technology. While manufacturers continue to face rising complexity, the real constraints may not be what you expect.Barbara Frei, EVP of Industrial Automation at Schneider Electric, points to a combination of overlooked issues that quietly erode industrial performance: mindset, workforce readiness, and siloed […]

Read more →
The tech backbone creating the future of infrastructure
· Smart Cities

The tech backbone creating the future of infrastructure

Connecting infrastructural ecosystems are driving smarter decisions and improving sustainable outcomes. Now we must use them to build resilient, future-ready nations, says Gary Wong, Global Segment Leader of Power, Utilities, and Infrastructure at AVEVAThe Indian state of Chhattisgarh understands ecosystems. Forests, for example, cover more than 40% of the 23,000-square-mile state. From trees to the […]

Read more →
Transforming Grid Edge Communication: The Future of Intelligent Energy Systems
· Renewable Energy

Transforming Grid Edge Communication: The Future of Intelligent Energy Systems

The energy landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the need for more sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy solutions. As we move towards a decentralized and digitized energy system, the role of grid-edge communication becomes increasingly critical. This article explores the challenges and opportunities in transforming grid-edge communication to support the evolving needs of […]

Read more →
5 Steps to a Successful Multisite MES Implementation
· Discrete Manufacturing

5 Steps to a Successful Multisite MES Implementation

As manufacturers race to modernize operations and gain competitive advantage through digital transformation, many are realizing that local, plant-by-plant MES deployments no longer scale. A multisite MES strategy is becoming essential—not just for IT standardization, but for enabling agility, compliance, and visibility across global operations.In Part 2 of Critical Manufacturing’s Multisite MES white paper series, manufacturers gain practical, field-tested […]

Read more →
Real-Time Industrial Data: Why Architecture, Not Hype, Determines Success
· Discrete Manufacturing

Real-Time Industrial Data: Why Architecture, Not Hype, Determines Success

At Hannover Messe 2025, a compelling conversation unfolded between HiveMQ and Snowflake leadership on a topic often underestimated in industrial transformation: data movement architecture. Behind all the talk of AI, analytics, and predictive insights lies a more foundational challenge—how to reliably, securely, and cost-effectively get data from machines to the cloud in real-time.For industrial companies […]

Read more →
Driving Sustainability Forward with IIoT: Smarter Processes for a Greener Future
· Process Manufacturing

Driving Sustainability Forward with IIoT: Smarter Processes for a Greener Future

We live in an era marked by climate urgency and resource scarcity, industries face the dual challenge of meeting growing energy demands while minimizing their environmental footprint. Outdated factories, inefficient processes, and power-hungry data centers exacerbate this dilemma.Within this environment, the Industrial Internet of Things emerges as a transformative technology driving sustainability across sectors. By […]

Read more →
Manufacturing’s Future Hinges on Collaboration, Not Just Technology
· Discrete Manufacturing

Manufacturing’s Future Hinges on Collaboration, Not Just Technology

At Hannover Messe 2025, I sat down with Mathias Oppelt, Vice President and Head of Customer-Driven Innovation at Siemens Digital Industries, to explore what manufacturers really want from digital transformation—and what’s still holding many of them back. The conversation moved well beyond buzzwords like AI and digital twins, touching on deep structural shifts, mindset changes, and the […]

Read more →
$175K in Non-Equity Funding to Scale Urban Resilience Solutions Globally
· Infrastructure

$175K in Non-Equity Funding to Scale Urban Resilience Solutions Globally

As climate change accelerates the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, cities around the world are facing mounting pressure to strengthen their resilience infrastructure. According to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the world now experiences an average of 130 natural disasters per week—a staggering 18-fold increase from the year 2000.In response to this […]

Read more →
What’s Changing in Industrial Data Management: Key Takeaways from Hannover Messe 2025
· Discrete Manufacturing

What’s Changing in Industrial Data Management: Key Takeaways from Hannover Messe 2025

At Hannover Messe 2025, InfluxData CEO Evan Kaplan and HighByte CPO John Harrington discuss how manufacturers are shifting from data collection to data intelligence and what’s required to support that transformation. Below are the most important insights that emerged from the conversation: The Purpose of Data Is Shifting—from Monitoring to Control Historically, manufacturers used data […]

Read more →