A: The industry experienced a slowdown in 2024 and into 2025, primarily due to cooling investment levels and supply chain capacity recalibrations. We are now seeing signs of a V-shaped recovery and interest in AI-driven automation, predictive analytics, and autonomous robotics.
Q: You have a long history of working in the software industry, including software used in automation. What are the biggest advancements you’ve seen?
A: One of the most significant enablers of recent advancements in automation and AI has been the rapid increase in computing power, coupled with a substantial drop in cost. This has made advanced AI capabilities far more accessible to organizations of all sizes. Automation capabilities can now be deployed through edge computing, cloud computing, or a hybrid approach—each offering distinct advantages depending on the application’s requirements for speed, scalability, and connectivity.
Q: How has your background as a computer engineer helped you in your current role in management?
A: My background has helped me to have empathy for technical teams. Having been in their shoes, I understand the challenges engineers face. This helps me create a supportive environment that values technical excellence while balancing business priorities.
Q: What are some ways in which automation technology and software work particularly well together?
A: I recently wrote a blog on systems thinking, where I discussed how well-designed software can coordinate a wide range of automation across an entire system. By identifying bottlenecks and evaluating the performance of both automated and manual resources, such software plays a critical role in optimizing operations and driving overall efficiency. Every day, my team is focused on delivering greater performance from our customers’ automation investments through the intelligent software we design and build.
Q: Artificial intelligence has been greatly hyped in supply chains. Where do you think it will ultimately have the biggest impact?
A: Artificial intelligence has certainly been surrounded by significant hype in the supply chain space—but beneath that hype lies genuine, transformative potential. While most organizations have yet to fully realize that potential, I believe AI will eventually become a foundational capability in supply chains.
As the technology matures and data practices improve, AI will enhance decision-making, increase operational agility, and enable predictive and autonomous capabilities that traditional systems simply can’t achieve.
Q: In what ways is AI affecting automation design at Matthews?
A: Matthews is making significant investments in artificial intelligence to deliver enhanced capabilities to our customers, including demand forecasting, inventory and resource optimization, predictive maintenance, dynamic routing and material flow, quality assurance, and improved user experiences. In addition, we are leveraging AI to boost engineering productivity, enabling us to accelerate the delivery of high-impact solutions.
Q: Many companies are launching initiatives aimed at digitalizing their operations. Do you have any advice to offer them?
A: I recommend focusing on outcomes, not just tools. It’s easy to get swept up in the latest technologies, but the true value of digitalization lies in solving real business problems, increasing agility, and elevating the customer experience.
If you’re unsure how to navigate the journey, don’t go it alone; bring in someone who can help. At Matthews, we lead hundreds of projects each year, continuously learning and refining our capabilities along the way. Find a partner who brings experience to the table so you can “borrow” their learning curve and accelerate your progress.
