Cranswick PLC

UK meat giant Cranswick has acquired a minority stake in The Jolly Hog, a Bristol-based producer of higher-welfare pork products. The companies announced that Cranswick will serve as The Jolly Hog's long-term manufacturing partner, though financial terms were not disclosed. A Companies House filing indicates the stake is more than 25% but less than half of the business. The Jolly Hog, founded in 2007 by brothers Olly, Max and Josh Kohn, will remain independently run from its existing headquarters. Cranswick, one of the UK's largest pork suppliers, reported total sales of £2.98 billion in its year to 28 March, with its Gourmet Products unit—which includes sausages and bacon—contributing 19.7% of group revenues.

Rockwell Automation has introduced FactoryTalk Orchestration software, a new solution designed to coordinate material flow and production processes. The software aims to help manufacturers move from fragmented automation toward more connected, autonomous operations by standardizing connectivity across the company's portfolio. The company expects the software to improve throughput, reduce bottlenecks, and enable faster responses to disruptions and changing demand. Separately, Britain's Cranswick Plc has commissioned Rockwell Automation's Autonox robotics for end-of-line pick-and-place to support automated packaging and more connected production lines.

Rockwell Automation announced that Cranswick has commissioned a new robotic end-of-line pick-and-place system using Autonox Robotics. Cranswick produces millions of pigs-in-blankets for the Christmas market each year, and the final stage of picking sausages from the conveyor belt and placing them into packaging was previously handled manually. Cranswick commissioned CWM Automation to design and deliver a fully automated system, allowing those employees to move to more skilled tasks. DA Davidson analyst Chris Dankert initiated coverage of Rockwell Automation with a Neutral rating and a $500 price target, noting the company is well-positioned to benefit from secular tailwinds, pent-up reshoring activity, and the adoption of autonomy and AI on the shop floor. Earlier in June, Rockwell Automation's Board of Directors authorized the company to spend up to an additional $1 billion to repurchase common stock, which is in addition to the September 5, 2024 authorization to repurchase $1 billion worth of common stock, of which about $215 million remained as of May 31.

Rockwell Automation has introduced its FactoryTalk Orchestration software to coordinate material flow and production processes across manufacturing operations. The company is supplying core control and automation technology for Heaven Hill's new distillery, including the PlantPAx DCS for digital control, while Cranswick is using Rockwell Automation solutions for automated packaging with robotic pick and place systems. These deployments highlight how Rockwell's products are being used inside live plants across food, beverage, and packaging operations. The launch fits into the company's broader push to link production planning, execution, and logistics within a single environment, reflecting efforts to address manufacturers seeking more traceable and data-rich processes.