Van Meter received Rockwell Automation’s Distributor Partner Innovation Award during the 2024 PartnerNetwork Conference March 20 in Orlando, Florida.
The Innovation Award annually honors a distributor that has successfully planned and executed an innovative and transformative solution using Rockwell and other partners’ digital and disruptive technologies.
Van Meter, based in Cedar Rapids, received the award for helping a Midwest university improve cybersecurity and reliability by modernizing its legacy boiler system and network.
Cyberattacks can lead to costly downtime and, in the case of a boiler system, present serious safety risks to anyone nearby. Instead of waiting for a cyberattack to happen, Van Meter’s smart manufacturing team partnered with the university to assess its current state and proactively develop a solution to minimize its long-term risk.
“We didn’t just respond to our customer’s problem,” said Jackie LaFleur, Van Meter’s Smart Manufacturing Manager. “We challenged them to think deeper about their long-term needs, which resulted in a more secure, resilient boiler system for the university and a better long-term plan for managing cybersecurity risk.”
In addition to recommending a solution to the university, Van Meter engaged Cybertrol Engineering, an automation control system integrator, to install and implement the solution. Cybertrol Engineering and Van Meter used a phased approach to upgrade system software and add additional control to build resiliency while minimizing operational disruption.
“We have been working with Van Meter for many years, and it is a true partnership,” said Cybertrol Engineering executive vice president Tim Barthel. “Van Meter will diligently investigate a technical problem, collaborate with us on the optimal solution for the customer and then seamlessly integrate our experienced engineers in the deployment process. From the customers’ perspective, this unified approach ensures simplicity, excellent results and long-term support from both Van Meter and Cybertrol Engineering.”
Van Meter and Cybertrol Engineering are connected through Rockwell Automation’s PartnerNetwork of best-in-class partners serving up superior support and services, market-leading technology and a streamlined approach to business. Van Meter Smart Manufacturing Business Consultant, Josh Reitz, credits the PartnerNetwork for the ability to effectively help customers leverage data, protect assets and connect their workforce.
“It’s Rockwell’s comprehensive ecosystem of services and solutions partners that empower Van Meter’s smart manufacturing team to create meaningful change for customers,” he said.
Van Meter is one of the first electrical distributors in North America participating in Rockwell Automation’s new Information Solutions Value-Added Reseller (IS VAR) program. The program empowers its smart manufacturing team to partner with customers (like this university) that are looking to modernize their operations with information technology and software-related solutions.
