inControl provides turnkey systems for process control, automation and information projects. Its services range from consultation to design, implementation, commissioning and support. Mistry: So Ian, what does inControl Systems do? I understand you are a systems integrator, but what does that entail? Clarke: As a process control and automation system integrator, we design and deliver complete control and automation projects and industrial digital transformation solutions for manufacturing and process industries. From concept to commissioning, our highly qualified engineers design, implement, and support systems that keep factories and process sites running at their best. Mistry: How do you handle legacy equipment, obsolescence, mixed-vendor environments and partial upgrades? Clarke: Many customers have these challenges and their concerns are that old equipment, when it fails, can bring huge costs and uncertainty when it comes to downtime. But also, upgrades need scheduled downtime that cannot run over and they don’t want the risk of not being able to get production running again. We handle this by carefully picking systems within a factory and upgrading them in a phased or partial way – selecting which system will introduce the least risk during commissioning, but overcomes the greatest risks of failure. We have proven methods of testing off-site and having reversible commissioning practices so that we can reverse out a new system if there are issues that can’t be resolved prior to scheduled line start-ups. Mistry: Where do you see the biggest challenges in future automation and control systems? Clarke: This is a two-fold answer and it addresses two of the common topics we see in UK manufacturing. The first is the desire to adopt new digitalisation solutions, but the second is one that few C-suite executives talk about, and that relates to the legacy systems and obsolete hardware and software running their factories. Our view is that running a business on obsolete hardware is far too often neglected and should be given greater attention and investment. But – and here’s the huge opportunity for industry – by upgrading systems with future digitalisation methods and IT/OT architecture, you can not only avoid unplanned downtime from old equipment failing, but also be a springboard to starting a site-wide industrial digitalisation programme. I’d say that’s a double win. Mistry: What’s the most common misconception about digital transformation? Clarke: Again, the answer is two-fold. Firstly, in our view, what is often overlooked is the importance of true machine and process data from the manufacturing facility. Clearly, complete industrial digitalisation cannot take place without some interaction with the machines and process, whether that is for monitoring machine performance and capacity, measuring energy consumption, or for traceability of product quality data throughout each step of the manufacturing process. But to get this data is not as simple as plugging a network cable into a control panel. With most businesses having machines and equipment of varying ages and origins, a wide set of IT and OT skills are needed to be able to connect to machine control systems and sensors in order to monitor and sometimes control what’s going on in production. Mistry: Walk me through a recent project where something went wrong and how you handled it? Clarke: We’ve seen the following type of problem a couple of times, and that is where a system that has been tested at our site, reaches the end-user’s process but fails to control the process as expected. On both occasions, it has been because of problems in the process and not with the control. Sometimes a process may have never been tested or proven before and a degree of process engineering has to take place during commissioning. It’s far from ideal, but calm heads and experience, together with a design review with the customer (who is sometimes not the end-user), is required to make modifications to the process or the control methods to reach a successful outcome for all parties. Control engineers can never be expected to understand every process out there, but experienced engineers and communication usually save the day. A longer version of this interview can be found of Drives & Controls’ Web site at www.drivesncontrols.com What do systems integrators do? Chesterfield-based InControl Systems has been has been a control systems integrator for more than 25 years. Nikesh Mistry, Gambica’s sector head for industrial automation*, spoke to the company’s sales and marketing director, Ian Clarke, about what an SI does. www.drivesncontrols.com June 2026 45 * Gambica is the trade association for the automation, control, instrumentation and laboratory technology sectors in the UK. You can get in touch with Nikesh Mistry on 020 7642 8094 or nikesh.mistry@gambica.org.uk, or via the Gambica Web site: www.gambica.org.uk
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