Plant managers, operations executives and other decision-makers across a broad spectrum of industries that rely on industrial automation for their success increasingly recognize the value of working with members of the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA). CSIA is a group of independent, professional service providers who use hardware, software and communications products to offer industry clients the best choices for control and information system integration. “Today’s manufacturing processes are more complicated, so clients need customized automation solutions to fit their operations,” says Bob Lowe, executive director of CSIA. “CSIA members develop, design and execute automation projects from beginning to end.”

Here are some of the key reasons industry clients are turning to CSIA:
•Technical expertise – CSIA integrators maintain a full-time business providing control and information system integration applications and technology.
•Business acumen – Members follow the CSIA Best Practices and Benchmarks Manual, which sets the standard for professional management of a system integration company.
•Certification – Integrators can choose to be CSIA Certified, a path that requires them to undergo an intense third-party audit and abide by strict performance standards.

“Industry clients look to CSIA for qualified system integrators,” says Lowe. “CSIA Certification provides a standard approach to project management, offers financial benchmarks, quality assurance management and other business aspects. For plant managers, directors of quality assurance and other company leaders, certification is a pre-screening mechanism that saves them time in their search and reduces risk.”