Rockwell Automation’s Ryan Gariepy to Expand Autonomous Solutions Beyond Material Handling: Pros to Know Award

As VP of robotics at Rockwell Automation, Ryan Gariepy plays a key role in shaping how the company develops and deploys robotics and autonomous solutions. He is responsible for robotics research and development, strategic technology planning, and technology integration and partnerships, and was instrumental in establishing and growing Rockwell’s new Robotics Center of Excellence.

Gariepy’s day-to-day work spans both deep technical engagement and high-level strategy. He oversees internal research and development programs, guides technology innovation, and reviews ongoing engineering developments across his organization. He plays a central role in shaping corporate strategy, development priorities, and long-term investment decisions related to robotics and autonomy. His work also involves frequent collaboration across Rockwell’s global offices, and he stays closely connected to the broader robotics ecosystem.

Before stepping into this role in July 2025, Gariepy co-founded and served as CTO of Clearpath Robotics and OTTO, both acquired by Rockwell in 2023. When he co-founded the company in 2009, the mission was to accelerate robotics R&D and bring those innovations into manufacturing facilities. Under his leadership, the organization helped shape the modern robotics ecosystem, becoming what is said to be the first independent company to support the Robot Operating System (ROS) as part of its products. OTTO also achieved multiple industry firsts under the helm of Gariepy, including deploying the first commercial heavy-load AMR and the first productive fleet over 100 units. Gariepy also founded and continues to serve on the board of Open Robotics, a non-profit dedicated to advancing open-source software for robotics research and development.

Today, Gariepy is applying this same mindset to help manufacturers improve safety, efficiency, and workforce empowerment across the entire production line. His focus is expanding autonomy beyond material handling, bringing robotics, physical AI, and advanced automation capabilities to every corner of the facility.

Over the next 12 months, Gariepy is focused on establishing a unified, enterprise-wide robotics strategy at Rockwell, moving away from siloed, product-specific goals to a coordinated approach that maximizes impact across the company and the industry. He will continue translating R&D initiatives into real product development and demonstrate how Rockwell and partner technologies can accelerate the adoption of autonomous solutions.

Gariepy sits down with Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief of Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive and co-founder of the Women in Supply Chain Forum, to talk about expanding autonomous solutions beyond material handling and into every corner of the facility.

Supply & Demand Chain Executive: Let’s first talk about you. Tell me a little bit about yourself and your journey to get to this current stage in your career?

Ryan Gariepy: My career has been defined by building robotics technologies that move from research into valuable real-world use. I began by co-founding Clearpath Robotics in 2009 with the goal of accelerating robotics R&D and, once commercially viable applications emerged, bringing those innovations into manufacturing environments. That work ultimately led to the creation of OTTO Motors, where I helped shape how autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are designed, deployed, and scaled in industrial facilities.  

Over more than 15 years, I worked deeply across robotics software, hardware, product development, and customer deployment, gaining firsthand experience with the technical and operational realities manufacturers face. After Rockwell Automation’s acquisition of Clearpath and OTTO in 2023 and being responsible for technology integration for the subsequent 18 months, I transitioned into my current role as vice president of robotics in July 2025. Today, my team and I are responsible for many robotics and robotics-related initiatives within Rockwell, including R&D, strategic planning, internal and external partnerships, technology benchmarking, and public engagement. 

Supply & Demand Chain Executive: One of the things outlined in your submission is how you play a key role in shaping how the company develops and deploys robotics and autonomous solutions. What are some of the top features today’s robotics and autonomous solutions must entail?

Gariepy: Modern robotics and autonomous solutions must be designed for real industrial environments, not controlled demos. Safety must be foundational and built in by default, enabling robots to operate productively alongside people while minimizing additional risk. Ideally, total system safety should improve! Reliability in both hardware and software are likewise critical, as these systems need to perform consistently at scale, often across large fleets and demanding conditions. 

Other essential features relate to how they integrate with existing operations. Robotics cannot exist in isolation, they must connect easily and seamlessly with controls, safety systems, and operations software. Flexibility is also key, given that users increasingly need to adapt to changing production needs, higher product mix, and evolving workflows. 

Finally, scalability matters. Solutions must support growth from initial pilots to enterprise-wide deployments while remaining manageable and cost-effective. When robotics combine safety, integration, and scalability, they become a practical enabler of autonomous operations rather than a standalone technology experiment.  

Supply & Demand Chain Executive: Also outlined in your application is how you’ve spent the last 12 months directly addressing the challenges manufacturers face when adopting robotics. Walk us through some of the top challenges manufacturers face, and why.

Gariepy: One of the most common challenges I see is what is typically called pilot purgatory—robotics initiatives that show promise in small trials but never successfully scale. This often happens when projects are treated as experiments but do not have realistic success measures or operational champions. 

Another challenge is how suppliers are engaged. Currently, robotics adoption works best when vendors are treated as long-term partners rather than interchangeable commodities. Successful deployments require close collaboration on safety, integration, lifecycle support, and continuous improvement. Avoid letting premature optimization on price or bumps in the road set you back to the beginning! 

For manufacturers just beginning their automation journey, starting too complex can also be a barrier. Proven, well-understood applications provide faster wins, build internal confidence, and create a strong foundation for more advanced autonomy over time. Getting that experience in place and culture formed is critical to long-term success. 

Supply & Demand Chain Executive: The Leaders in Excellence category honors company leaders who’ve made outstanding contributions to the supply chain space. What advice do you have for other seasoned supply chain professionals and even young professionals just entering the supply chain space?  

Gariepy: For experienced supply chain professionals, my advice is to embrace integration and systems thinking. The most impactful improvements now come from connecting technologies, data, and people across the operation rather than optimizing individual processes in isolation. Staying engaged with emerging automation, robotics, and AI technologies is essential to remain competitive in an increasingly complex environment. 

For those just entering the supply chain space, I encourage getting hands-on and developing a strong understanding of how operations actually run. Exposure to real facilities, workflows, and constraints provides invaluable context that no textbook can replace. on and developing a strong understanding of how operations on and developing a strong understanding of how operations  

Across all career stages, it’s critical to focus on practical outcomes over theory or hype. The goal is not technology for its own sake, nor is the goal to have a single silver bullet (or project!) which fixes everything all at once. 

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