Rockwell Automation, Inc., the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, helped an iconic bourbon maker bring its operations into the digital era. When Opus Integration helped Heaven Hill launch a new distillery last year in Bardstown, KY, it used the PlantPAx® modern distributed control system (DCS) from Rockwell Automation to increase efficiency and embed digital transformation from day one.
"Creating a state-of-the-art distillery with digital transformation embedded from day one creates long-term advantages," said Kris Dornan, Commercial Marketing Manager, Rockwell Automation. "Using the PlantPAx modern DCS, Opus and Heaven Hill have created a unified control and data environment giving operators deep visibility into operations today while laying the groundwork for more advanced analytics and richer insights in the future."
Heaven Hill is the world's largest independent bourbon maker, with well-known brands such as Elijah Craig, Evan Williams and its namesake bourbon. The new production facility launched in 2025 brought operations back to Bardstown for the first time in decades after a fire destroyed the distillery where the company had previously produced bourbon since 1935.
While Heaven Hill has crafted bourbon for more than 90 years, the company wanted its new distillery to be fully modernized. The facility required full plant visualization, robust cybersecurity and a foundation capable of supporting long-term digital transformation.
Opus Integration, a Rockwell Automation partner specializing in industrial control systems, with deep expertise in process automation and plant modernization, deployed the PlantPAx modern DCS to deliver a cohesive view of the entire distillery. The solution transformed how operators engage with the production environment and reduced troubleshooting time. Modern interlock objects allow operators to immediately see what is preventing equipment from running, eliminating the need to dig through code or place multiple support calls.
The modern DCS also allows operators to analyze historical trends and compare past production runs. This supports anomaly detection, process optimization and continuous improvement in the distillery operations.
"The PlantPAx DCS gives operators greater visibility into the distillery's operations than they've had in the past, allowing them to stay focused on delivering Heaven Hill's iconic products without worrying about the production process," said Don Ault, owner and CEO of Opus Integration. "Heaven Hill now has the real-time insights and information security it needs to succeed today and a foundation for digital evolution based on future business needs."
The PlantPAx-based infrastructure positions the new distillery to use AI-driven insights and other advanced technologies. Heaven Hill is already building AI-focused roles to interpret and apply production data generated through the PlantPAx system.
