Global Process Automation

05/22/2026

Control system modernization puts a lot of pressure on outage ex*****on.

At one large pulp and paper facility, migration work was planned around real outage windows and carried out in phases over several years. Each phase built on the last, which kept the work structured and predictable even as complexity increased.

That showed up in the results:
- Over 1,100 I/O points completed outside the major shutdown
- Removed from the outage critical path
- ~80% of checkout finished nearly 24 hours early
- Completed ahead of schedule with zero contingency days used

What made this work wasn’t tied to one moment or decision, but to how the project was carried from start to finish. Preparation happened early enough to take pressure off ex*****on, testing was handled before systems ever reached the field, and documentation stayed current so teams weren’t second-guessing the work. Over time, that consistency built real familiarity with the site, which made each phase more predictable than the last and kept the project moving without unnecessary friction.

That’s where modernization starts to create real value: not just in the system that gets installed, but in how the work actually gets done.

Read more: https://www.global-business.net/post/end-to-end-automation-delivery-for-a-greenfield-waste-processing-facility

GPA delivered an end-to-end automation foundation built for complex waste streams, regulatory confidence, and scalable operations.

05/19/2026

When outage season keeps our technical teams on-site with customers, marketing gets ✨creative✨.

In manufacturing, planned outages are a busy reality. Plants have limited windows to complete critical work, and the teams supporting them often spend long hours on-site making sure everything comes together.

While our technical experts are focused on customer support, system integration, and keeping projects moving, marketing found a window and a logo sticker.

Naturally, we turned it into a very low-budget content opportunity. Sometimes the best brand moments come from working with what you have.

Wishing everyone a safe and successful outage season!

05/14/2026

Are the numbers true? Could the U.S. really face 2.1 million unfilled manufacturing jobs by 2030?

According to The Manufacturing Institute, that is the projection if the manufacturing skills gap is not addressed.

In our recent YouTube video and blog post, we discussed this workforce challenge with Bill Medcalf, GPA’s VP of Digital Transformation and Innovation. Bill believes the prediction is realistic, and one of the biggest reasons is simple: a generation of experienced workers is leaving the industry, taking decades of operational knowledge with them.

AI may help manufacturers close part of the gap, but only if the right foundation is already in place.

The challenge is that many manufacturers are not prepared to use AI effectively yet. Without clean data, connected systems, strong processes, and captured knowledge, AI cannot solve the problem on its own. And with 2030 only a few years away, the window to prepare is getting smaller.

The path forward will not come down to people or technology. It will require both.

Manufacturers need to invest in workforce development, knowledge transfer, Manufacturing Intelligence, and digital infrastructure that helps teams make better decisions with the people they have today.

So, the bigger question is whether manufacturers are preparing fast enough.

🎥Watch the full discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfed-OBRPhk&t=10s 

OR

📝Read our full report here: https://www.global-business.net/post/is-manufacturing-ready-for-the-2030-workforce-gap

05/12/2026

Miles apart, moving together for a meaningful cause. 💚

GPA was proud to participate in the 2026 Coastal Walk/Run for Autism, hosted by the Autism Society of North Carolina.

Together, our GPA Cares team raised more than $1,300 in support of ASNC and its mission. Our Wilmington, NC participants joined the race at the UNCW track, while employees from our Ruston and Chester offices held remote walks and runs with their teams. Remote employees also participated from across the country, many alongside their families.

What made this event so special was the way our team came together across locations to support a cause that impacts so many individuals and families, including those connected to our own team.

Thank you to everyone who walked, ran, donated, encouraged, and helped make this effort possible. We are grateful for the opportunity to support ASNC and help promote greater awareness, inclusion, and support for individuals with autism.

05/07/2026

Spring Release was a great reminder that some of the best student connections happen outside of a formal recruiting setting.

GPA was proud to attend this year’s Spring Release hosted by the Louisiana Tech University College of Engineering and Science and the LA Tech ESA. As an industry partner with the College of Engineering and Science, we value opportunities like this because they allow us to connect with students and their families in a fun, relaxed environment.

The event brought together crawfish, jambalaya, drinks, crafts, student organizations, and a ping pong tournament sponsored by GPA.

Even better, we had the chance to celebrate one of our own. GPA intern Kailie Carrigee received an Outstanding Senior Award after being nominated by her professors, and we are so proud to see her hard work recognized.

Thank you to the College of Engineering and Science and ESA for creating a space where students, families, faculty, and industry partners could come together. Events like this help strengthen the connection between education and industry, and we are grateful to be part of it.

05/05/2026

When the project gets technical…sometimes the best move is to break it down.

Behind every successful project is a strong project manager keeping timelines aligned, priorities clear, and teams moving in the same direction. When complexity picks up across automation, OT, and digital transformation initiatives, that coordination makes all the difference between progress and confusion.

At GPA, it’s not just about solving technical challenges. It’s about bringing structure, communication, and a little personality to the process along the way.

04/30/2026

Modernizing a control system is one thing.

Executing that migration without disrupting production is another challenge entirely.

In this project, GPA partnered with a large pulp and paper facility to support a phased control system migration strategy designed around outage efficiency, risk reduction, and long-term modernization goals.

Results included:
• 1,100+ I/O points migrated during routine outages
• Removal from outage critical path
• 80% of I/O checkout completed nearly 24 hours ahead of schedule
• Zero contingency days used

Strong migration outcomes come from disciplined planning, detailed preparation, and a partner who understands how to execute in live manufacturing environments.

See how GPA helped deliver measurable migration success through long-term partnership: https://www.global-business.net/post/driving-measurable-migration-success-through-long-term-partnership

A phased migration approach helped a major facility modernize systems with less risk, delivering ahead of schedule through strong planning and partnership.

04/28/2026

Happy National Superhero Day! 💪

Today, we’re putting a different spin on what “superhero” looks like in OT.

The Integrator:
In most manufacturing environments, systems don’t start off broken. They evolve. Over time, small decisions stack up and create complexity that’s harder to manage, secure, and scale. The Integrator represents a more intentional approach. Through OT assessments, network infrastructure design, multi-layered security, asset visibility, and strong governance, systems are built with structure from the start. Not patched together over time.

OT Network Villains:
The biggest risks rarely show up all at once. They build gradually. Remote access that isn’t fully secured. Credentials that were never updated. Networks that were never properly segmented. Legacy systems that continue to carry risk. Individually, none of it feels urgent. Together, it creates real exposure that can impact performance and reliability.

This isn’t about reacting after something goes wrong. It’s about building systems the right way so those issues don’t show up in the first place.

If any of this sounds familiar, it’s fixable.
📩 [email protected]

P.S. To the everyday “superheroes” who keep operations running, solve problems, and move the industry and world forward, thank you for what you do today and always.

04/23/2026

Jay Settle has always been someone who needs a project.

He learned by building things, testing them, and figuring out how they actually work. That same curiosity still shapes how he approaches his work today, and it carries directly into how he thinks about Manufacturing Intelligence.

For most manufacturing leaders, the issue is not a lack of data. It is knowing what to trust, what matters, and how to use it to drive the operation forward. That gap between data and decision-making is where a lot of value is either realized or lost.

That is where Jay and the team focus their time. Turning raw machine data into clear, reliable insight. Building systems that reflect how operations actually run. Giving teams the visibility they need to make confident decisions at the right time.

It is a hands-on, practical approach that aligns technology with real operational goals, not just technical capability.

And that is where the real impact comes from: the people behind it.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.global-business.net/post/people-powered-manufacturing-intelligence-featuring-jay-settle

Manufacturing Intelligence is not built in dashboards. It is built by people who know how systems actually work. Jay Settle’s story reflects that reality. From hands on projects to architecting real world MI and MES solutions, his work focuses on turning raw machine data into something teams can t...

04/21/2026

Artificial Intelligence is getting all the attention.
But in manufacturing, AI is only as effective as the operational data behind it.

Before AI can predict, recommend, or optimize, organizations need a foundation of structured, trusted, real-time operational data.

That is where Manufacturing Intelligence comes in.

Manufacturing Intelligence turns raw plant floor data into usable operational insight. AI builds on top of that foundation to drive more advanced analysis and decision-making.

The manufacturers seeing the most value from AI are building the right data strategy first before skipping steps.

At GPA, we help manufacturers strengthen that foundation so advanced capabilities like AI can deliver meaningful business value.

What are you doing with your data? Stop guessing. Start Knowing:
www.global-business.net/manufacturingintelligence