---
title: Premier Automation Blog | Cecelia Rice
description: The best blog on industrial automation, robotics, system integration, and electrical engineering.
---

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## We’re here to help in any way we can, contact us today.

**Phone:** [412.373.3700](tel:4123733700)  
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**Email:** [sales@premierautomation.com](mailto:sales@premierautomation.com)

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# Innovative Thinking

## Cecelia Rice

### Recent Posts

## [Steel and Aluminum Demand Is Surging. Here's What to Know Before You Convert Your DC Drive to AC](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/steel-and-aluminum-demand-is-surging.-heres-what-to-know-before-you-convert-your-dc-drive-to-ac)

 Posted on [September 09, 2026](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/steel-and-aluminum-demand-is-surging.-heres-what-to-know-before-you-convert-your-dc-drive-to-ac) by [Cecelia Rice](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/author/cecelia-rice)

[![](https://info.premierautomation.com/hubfs/DC%20AC%20Drive%20Blog.png)](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/steel-and-aluminum-demand-is-surging.-heres-what-to-know-before-you-convert-your-dc-drive-to-ac)

Tariffs have put steel and aluminum production in the USA back in growth mode, and that growth is putting new pressure on the DC drive systems many of these facilities still run. As production ramps up, more operators are confronting a complex problem: continue to repair the DC system they have, or convert to a more reliable AC system.

## [Built on Trust: Inside Premier Automation's Partnership with häwa](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/built-on-trust-inside-premier-automations-partnership-with-häwa)

 Posted on [June 12, 2026](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/built-on-trust-inside-premier-automations-partnership-with-häwa) by [Cecelia Rice](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/author/cecelia-rice)

[![](https://info.premierautomation.com/hubfs/Blog%20Hawa%20Graphic%20(2).png)](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/built-on-trust-inside-premier-automations-partnership-with-häwa)

The strength of an industrial build is shaped long before assembly begins. It is shaped by the suppliers and partners involved in the project, the engineering conversations that happen between them, and the trust that determines how problems are solved when they arise. Premier Automation has spent years deliberately building that network, and häwa is one of the partners at the center of it.

## [Inside Premier’s Georgia Team: Engineering That Delivers in the Real World](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/inside-premiers-georgia-team)

 Posted on [May 14, 2026](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/inside-premiers-georgia-team) by [Cecelia Rice](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/author/cecelia-rice)

[![](https://info.premierautomation.com/hubfs/Meet%20Josh%20Warren.png)](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/inside-premiers-georgia-team)

When a system leaves the shop without being properly verified, the consequences follow it into the field. Panels that create problems at installation, documentation that leaves technicians guessing, and builds that technically meet a drawing but fail to meet the real demands of the application are costly mistakes that the right manufacturing partner prevents from happening in the first place.

## [Phased Modernization or Full Replacement: How to Choose the Right Approach for Your Controls Upgrade](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/phased-modernization-or-full-replacement)

 Posted on [May 14, 2026](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/phased-modernization-or-full-replacement) by [Cecelia Rice](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/author/cecelia-rice)

[![](https://info.premierautomation.com/hubfs/Blog%20Graphic-1.png)](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/phased-modernization-or-full-replacement)

Aging control systems rarely fail all at once. They degrade slowly, through years of patched fixes and workarounds, until unplanned downtime becomes routine and the system becomes something nobody fully understands anymore. Zachary Neudorfer, an automation engineer on Premier's Automation team, describes the pattern well: equipment ends up on the wrong controllers, “temporary” programming and  
electrical changes become permanent, which leads to years of incremental fixes rather than intentional design.

## [Inside Premier Automation's Robotics Process](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/inside-premier-automations-robotics-process)

 Posted on [April 22, 2026](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/inside-premier-automations-robotics-process) by [Cecelia Rice](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/author/cecelia-rice)

[![](https://info.premierautomation.com/hubfs/Meet%20Nolan%20Smith.png)](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/inside-premier-automations-robotics-process)

Manufacturers investing in robotic systems face more than a technology decision. They are navigating complex engineering requirements, undefined processes, and a long list of integration details that can make or break the outcome. We sat down with Nolan Smith, lead robotics engineer for Premier Automation, to talk through how Premier approaches that work and what manufacturers need to understand before they commit to a robotic investment.

## [Keeping Industrial Systems Running: Inside Premier Automation's Service Department](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/-inside-premier-automations-service-department)

 Posted on [April 01, 2026](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/-inside-premier-automations-service-department) by [Cecelia Rice](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/author/cecelia-rice)

[![](https://info.premierautomation.com/hubfs/87761650-f026-4155-8a95-2c83aaaa90f2.png)](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/-inside-premier-automations-service-department)

Industrial systems are only as valuable as their uptime. When a control system faults, a drive fails, or a robotic cell goes down, the cost of standing still adds up fast. At Premier Automation, service is not an afterthought. It is a core part of what we deliver, and it is backed by the same engineering depth that goes into every system we design and integrate.

## [5 Things You Need to Know Before You Invest in Robotics for Your Operations](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/5-things-to-know-before-buying-a-robot)

 Posted on [February 24, 2026](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/5-things-to-know-before-buying-a-robot) by [Cecelia Rice](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/author/cecelia-rice)

[![](https://info.premierautomation.com/hubfs/Copy%20of%20LinkedIn%20Ad%20Creation%20%20%283%29.png)](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/5-things-to-know-before-buying-a-robot)

Robots are becoming more accessible to manufacturers of all sizes. As labor challenges grow and production demands increase, many small to mid-sized manufacturers are considering robotics as a way to improve efficiency on the plant floor.

But one of the most common misconceptions is that buying a robot automatically leads to better productivity.

## [Inside PanelShop.com: How Experience, Process, and Scale Power Custom Control Builds](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/inside-panelshop)

 Posted on [January 22, 2026](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/inside-panelshop) by [Cecelia Rice](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/author/cecelia-rice)

[![](https://info.premierautomation.com/hubfs/PanelShop%20Meet%20the%20Team%20%282%29.png)](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/inside-panelshop)

Premier Automation’s [PanelShop.com](https://panelshop.com/) specializes in custom, build-to-print panel manufacturing, supporting customers who may lack in-house manufacturing capabilities or need to scale beyond them.

## [Rebuilding America’s Maritime Backbone](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/rebuilding-americas-maritime-backbone)

 Posted on [January 19, 2026](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/rebuilding-americas-maritime-backbone) by [Cecelia Rice](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/author/cecelia-rice)

[![](https://info.premierautomation.com/hubfs/Copy%20of%20LinkedIn%20Carousel%20Images%20%20%287%29.png)](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/rebuilding-americas-maritime-backbone)

### Why U.S. Harbor Crane Manufacturing Is Returning—And How Siemens + Premier Automation Will Power It

For decades, the United States has relied on foreign-built harbor cranes—particularly from China—to move the cargo that keeps the economy moving. Today, those cranes sit at the center of a national security, industrial, and supply-chain transformation, and the industry is preparing for historic change. 

## [Meet Pete Krahe, General Manager of Drive Systems, Premier Automation](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/meet-pete-krahe)

 Posted on [January 13, 2026](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/meet-pete-krahe) by [Cecelia Rice](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/author/cecelia-rice)

[![](https://info.premierautomation.com/hubfs/Pete%20Blog%20Graphic.png)](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/meet-pete-krahe)

In industrial environments, motion is everything. From conveyors and cranes to rolling mills and production lines, drive systems sit at the heart of how facilities operate and how reliably they perform over time. At Premier, those systems are supported by a team with deep technical expertise, hands-on experience, and a clear understanding of day-to-day plant operations. 

[All posts](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/all) [Next](https://info.premierautomation.com/blog/author/cecelia-rice/page/2)

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