Glenn Gardner

Most digital transformation initiatives in manufacturing stall, not because the strategy is wrong, but because three foundational layers of the software stack are missing or misunderstood. Unlike other sectors, the modern factory generates an enormous range of data types — from automation and engineering systems to supply chain and quality platforms — and capturing the economic benefits of transformation requires infrastructure that can absorb that diversity. In this fireside conversation, Abelara Co-Founder Glenn Gardner interviews Fuuz CEO Craig Scott on the three capabilities every industrial software stack must have to succeed, grounded in real-world deployments: Hybar's next-generation steel mill, a greenfield manufacturing startup building from a clean sheet, and a global life sciences leader operating under the strictest regulatory demands. Each story reveals how these foundational capabilities are reshaping how manufacturers compete, comply, and scale.

• Why an iPaaS purpose-built for industrial environments — not a general-purpose integration tool — is the prerequisite for unifying IT and OT data at scale, illustrated by how Hybar connected automation, ERP, and quality systems from day one.
• How a composable workflow engine lets manufacturers capture plant-specific data sources and processes without months of custom development — and why a greenfield deployment was able to go live in a fraction of the typical timeline.
• Why an ontology (or knowledge graph) is the missing bridge between the plant floor and the enterprise — and how a global life sciences manufacturer is using it to meet validation and traceability demands while accelerating analytics and AI initiatives.