Siemens & Snowflake partner to unify IT & OT data for AI gains
Snowflake has announced a collaboration with Siemens aimed at advancing data management, artificial intelligence, and generative AI capabilities for manufacturers.
The partnership connects operational technology (OT) data from the shop floor, collected by Siemens Industrial Edge, with information technology (IT) data processed in the Snowflake AI Data Cloud. By bringing together real-time production data and enterprise-wide information such as supply chain or financials, manufacturers can achieve better data integration and drive digital transformation efforts across their organisations.
IT/OT convergence
The collaboration is designed to help manufacturers bridge the gap between operational and information systems. Integration of Siemens Industrial Edge with the Snowflake platform means OT data can be contextualised and transferred directly to IT environments, enabling a unified approach to data analysis and digital operations.
This integration supports the use of plug-and-play Industrial Edge applications, allowing manufacturers to build data foundations to gain insights, improve production processes, and increase machine availability across their factories.
"This collaboration brings together the best of both worlds," said Rainer Brehm, CEO of Factory Automation at Siemens. "Siemens has deep expertise in how to bring OT and IT together on the shop floor, while Snowflake excels in managing and analysing both large-scale OT and IT data. Together, we enable customers to bridge the IT/OT divide and scale their digital transformation across machines, lines, and factories."
Christian Kleinerman, Executive Vice President of Product at Snowflake, highlighted the strategic advantages for mutual customers by stating, "Together with Siemens, we're enabling manufacturers to harness the full potential of their data through Snowflake's easy, connected and trusted platform. The ability to apply AI across both IT and OT data isn't just an advancement; it unlocks a new reality of possibilities for unparalleled quality improvement and radical performance optimisation, as well as new ways of process automation powered by AI agents."
Data integration in practice
FFT, a provider of manufacturing systems, has implemented the joint solution by integrating Siemens Industrial Edge with the Snowflake AI Data Cloud through its DataBridge application. This combination allows FFT and its clients to securely and efficiently transfer production data to the cloud while maintaining scalable performance standards required for modern manufacturing.
FFT's own factories and production lines utilise this solution to ensure efficient data-driven operations. The company acts both as an integrator and a Snowflake partner, supporting automated and flexible production systems in the mobility and industrial sectors. FFT is also a partner within the Siemens Xcelerator ecosystem.
The DataBridge application demonstrates the capability of the Siemens-Snowflake collaboration to support high operational efficiency, greater transparency, and data-driven optimisation in industrial settings.
Reducing data challenges
One of the main challenges in manufacturing environments is the presence of data silos, which result from disconnected systems and limited visibility across operational and IT data. The Siemens Industrial Edge and Snowflake solution is designed to address this issue by seamlessly integrating OT data from sources such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), sensors, and other manufacturing systems.
The Siemens platform preprocesses data at the edge and enables the execution of transformed OT data models, including AI algorithms, in a closed-loop with production automation technologies. This architecture supports real-time feedback and adjustments on the factory floor.
Snowflake's AI Data Cloud then brings together these data streams to deliver analytics and agentic AI capabilities. The combined platform allows production managers, data engineers, and IT leaders to analyse unified datasets for actionable insights, promoting more efficient operations, improved machine performance, and reduced maintenance intervention.
By integrating OT and IT systems, manufacturers are able to enhance product quality, streamline workflow, and reduce downtime. The collaboration between Siemens and Snowflake offers a framework for organisations seeking to modernise their data strategies and leverage AI technologies across their operations.
