Top tier USA education meets top European tech to shape the future of industry
April 2026
News
Eplan, Rittal and Purdue University, sister companies and global leaders in industrial and electrical engineering solutions and automation, have announced a major strategic partnership. The five-year collaboration centres around the Purdue Polytechnic Institute and was officially sealed at the Rockwell Automation Fair held in Chicago, November 2025. The partnership will see Purdue join the Rittal and Eplan partner network as a research partner, with the focus on advancing smart manufacturing education and preparing students for the next industrial revolution.
Signing of the partnership agreement in Chicago. Front row from l: Sebastian Seitz, CEO of Eplan; Dr Daniel Castro, dean of Purdue Polytechnic; Jochen Trautmann, CEO of Rittal Automation Systems.
Purdue will open two dedicated labs on its campus − an Eplan Electrical Engineering Technology Projects Lab and a Rittal Automation Systems Lab − where students can gain practical experience in data-driven processes in plant engineering, wire assembly and wiring. The collaboration will provide Purdue students and faculty with unparalleled access to an integrated ecosystem of hardware and software at the forefront of the automation and fabrication sectors.
The partnership will create a direct pipeline of skilled talent for industry while providing students with critical exposure to technologies used by leading companies. Purdue students will gain hands-on experience with the Eplan platform for electrical engineering design and its related data-driven approach, with automation systems and system enclosures from Rittal. This will ensure that future leaders in these sectors are industry ready from day one.
For more information contact Reyneke Johan, EPLAN Software & Service, +27 83 925 2054, reyneke.j@eplan.co.za, www.eplan.co.za
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