Rittal and Eplan Bring Connected Engineering and Automation to Life at Chicago Pop-Up Showcase
October 28, 2026
The Better Together Experience demonstrates how integrated engineering, infrastructure and automation can help manufacturers move from design to production faster and scale with greater consistency
As manufacturers face growing pressure to bring equipment online faster, increase productivity and scale without adding complexity, Rittal and Eplan are bringing the engineering and production lifecycle together in a live technology showcase in Chicago.
On Monday, October 19, Rittal and Eplan hosted The Better Together Experience: Design. Implement. Grow., an interactive pop-up showcase at Revel Motor Row, located less than half a mile from McCormick Place. The event coincided with PACK EXPO International week, giving manufacturers, OEMs, machine builders, panel builders and engineering professionals gathering in Chicago an opportunity to see how connected engineering, software, infrastructure and automation work together in real industrial applications.
Rather than focusing on individual products, the showcase demonstrated a connected approach to the industrial lifecycle, beginning with digital engineering and design data and extending through panel building, power distribution, enclosure systems, climate control, machine integration and industrial edge infrastructure.
“The U.S. manufacturing renaissance is creating new opportunities for growth, but manufacturers face labor constraints and a growing need for automation to improve efficiency and bring products to market faster. The Better Together Experience will showcase how Rittal and Eplan connect engineering, panel building, power distribution and automation through integrated software, hardware and automation systems. Our theme, ‘Design. Implement. Grow.’ reflects what we want customers to see: how decisions made during engineering carry forward into implementation, helping them build more efficiently, repeat successful designs and scale.”
Udayan Senapati, CEO, Rittal North America
From Digital Design to the Factory Floor
At the center of the showcase is the connected engineering and automation lifecycle, which demonstrates how standardized engineering data and digital models can create continuity between design and physical implementation.
Eplan demonstrations will show how data-driven electrical engineering, 3D panel design and digital twins can help manufacturers and machine builders standardize designs, automate repetitive engineering work and improve the accuracy of information passed downstream. The showcase will then connect that digital foundation with Rittal enclosure, power distribution, thermal management and infrastructure technologies to demonstrate how engineering decisions translate into real-world industrial systems.
Visitors were able to explore applications including digital engineering and digital twins, hygienic and washdown enclosure solutions, high-density VFD control panels, modular power distribution, low-voltage switchgear, cabinet thermal management, industrial edge computing and machine-level control and power distribution.
For packaging and processing manufacturers in particular, the technologies address challenges that extend across modern production environments, from protecting controls in sanitary and washdown applications to managing machine power, maintaining thermal performance, connecting engineering data with physical systems and creating repeatable machine and panel designs.
Real Applications Featuring Rittal and Eplan
The Better Together Experience will also feature applications developed with Rittal and Eplan customers and technology partners, giving attendees an opportunity to see how integrated engineering and infrastructure are being applied outside of a traditional tradeshow demonstration.
Partner showcases planned for the event include applications from Indicon, RAN Technology, Sun Coast, E Tech Group and ADS alongside Rittal and Eplan technology demonstrations. The applications span operator interfaces, machine power distribution, process control, motor control and other industrial use cases.
One demonstration will feature Rittal’s RiLineX modular busbar power distribution platform, designed to replace conventional point-to-point wiring with a touch-safe, modular system. The event guide positions the technology around faster assembly, simplified modification and compatibility with components from other manufacturers.
Throughout the event, attendees will have direct access to Rittal and Eplan product specialists, application engineers and industry experts for hands-on demonstrations and one-on-one discussions about their own engineering and manufacturing challenges.
About Rittal LLC
Founded in 1982, Rittal LLC is the fully owned US subsidiary of Rittal GmbH & Co. KG, and is headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. With a main production facility in Urbana, OH, a dedicated Modification Center in Houston, TX, and logistic hubs in Urbana, OH; Springfield, OH; Houston, TX; Sparks, NV; and Atlanta, GA, Rittal LLC is fully committed to providing the United States with quality enclosure solutions.
Founded in 1961 in Germany, Rittal is a global manufacturer of industrial and IT enclosures, racks, and accessories, including cooling solutions and power management systems for industrial, data center, outdoor, and hybrid applications. As the largest enclosure manufacturer in the world, Rittal provides quality solutions for practically any industrial or IT infrastructure application. Rittal is part of the owner-operated Friedhelm Loh Group along with Eplan.
About Eplan
Eplan is a global leader in software and service solutions for electrical, automation, and mechatronic engineering. Specializing in cutting-edge design software for machine and panel builders, Eplan supports 68,000 customers worldwide via standardized and customized interfaces to ERP and PLM/PDM systems. As part of the Friedhelm Loh Group along with Rittal, Eplan is dedicated to pushing efficiency, integration, and automation in engineering-forward.
More Information
Learn more at eplanusa.com.
