IT-OT integration is essential for manufacturing efficiency and security because increased equipment connectivity creates cybersecurity risks that require early collaboration between IT, OT, and engineering teams to implement secure, scalable infrastructure.
- Ransomware threats in OT environments can go undetected for an average of 287 days before discovery, making proactive security critical.
- OT systems lack built-in security protocols that traditional IT security can't simply install on PLCs and industrial equipment, leaving plant floors vulnerable.
- Early collaboration between IT, OT, engineering, and OEMs prevents costly delays and compatibility issues during integration projects.
- Companies must establish clear policies on remote access, network security, and software updates to protect against evolving cybersecurity threats.
- Investing in a solid, scalable, and secure infrastructure upfront costs less than managing forced downtime and expensive cybersecurity incidents later.
Successful IT-OT integration is essential for end users aiming for efficiency, scalability, and cybersecurity, given the increased connectivity of equipment and systems risk.
That’s according to PMMI Business Intelligence’s “Performance Optimization: Insights for Packaging Line Readiness,” a report that brings together key issues, industry insights, and recommendations from roundtable discussions and panels featured at the 2025 Top to Top Summit from February 23–25. The summit serves as a platform for OEMs and CPGs to exchange perspectives, address shared challenges, and collaborate on practical solutions.
Most participants were from the food industry (61%). Pharmaceuticals, another notable sector, represented 7% of participation.
Effective IT-OT integration requires early collaboration between IT, OT, engineering, and OEMs to avoid costly delays and compatibility issues, the Business Intelligence team notes.
However, increasing connectivity introduces new risks, making continuous investment in secure, scalable infrastructure essential. Companies must define clear policies on remote access, network security, and software updates to protect against evolving cybersecurity threats. As one panelist put it, “Your network becomes your true line of defense. You have to invest in a solid, scalable, and secure infrastructure, or you’ll pay the price.”
Unlike IT systems, OT environments often lack built-in security protocols, and traditional IT security can’t be installed on PLCs or other industrial equipment. This leaves the OT layer and plant floor vulnerable to cybersecurity threats, including ransomware, which one panelist warned can go undetected for an average of 287 days before being discovered.
IT and OT teams should work together to create a secure environment that doesn’t compromise operational uptime and safety, making sure cybersecurity is a priority before an attack forces their hand. Another panelist cautioned, “You’ll pay the price eventually”, either in planned investments or costly cybersecurity incidents and forced downtime.
SOURCE: PMMI Business Intelligence: 2025 Performance Optimization: Insights for Packaging Line Readiness
For more insights from PMMI’s Business Intelligence team, find reports, including “2025 Beverage Industry Packaging Trends” and “2025 Aftermarket Parts & Services” at pmmi.org/business-intelligence.
Download the FREE report below.
