Hitachi Energy and Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK) announced a collaboration aimed at integrating electrical grid infrastructure with industrial production systems, according to a joint press release.

The partnership centers on what the companies describe as a "grid-to-process" architecture, combining expertise in grid connection, power quality, energy management, process automation, and digital operations. The approach is intended to allow industrial facilities to plan power and production systems together rather than independently.

Mining and metals will serve as the initial focus of the collaboration. The companies cited a McKinsey & Co. report estimating that growth capital expenditures for new mining capacity could require $1 trillion over the next decade. The companies said they see potential to extend the approach to other energy-intensive industries.

"Electrification is changing the economics of industrial operations. Decisions about energy infrastructure increasingly influence productivity, sustainability, and growth," said Marco Berardi, Head of Grid & Power Quality Solutions and Service at Hitachi Energy.

"By combining Hitachi Energy's leadership in electrification with Rockwell Automation's experience in automation and digital transformation, we help customers design, build, and operate more intelligent, resilient, and sustainable sites," said Brian Holte, vice president of Global Industry Growth at Rockwell Automation.

The companies said they are exploring opportunities in solution development, customer engagement, and selected industrial applications. No financial terms of the collaboration were disclosed.

Hitachi Energy, headquartered in Switzerland, employs more than 56,000 people across 60 countries and reports revenues of approximately $20 billion. Rockwell Automation, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, employs approximately 26,000 people in more than 100 countries.