On October 28, we hosted the official launch for Formic’s first book, “Automate NOW” on Chicago’s scenic Riverwalk.
The evening brought together industry leaders from across the U.S., along with Formic partners, customers, and manufacturers eager to learn how to get started with automation. Guests enjoyed drinks, conversation, and a panel discussion that brought key ideas from the book to life.
Why We Wrote “Automate NOW”
We wrote “Automate NOW” to answer the most common question we hear from CPG and food & beverage manufacturers: “How do I get started with automation?”
The book distills lessons from hundreds of real-world deployments and expert insights into a practical guide for manufacturers ready to take their first step toward automation. The launch event celebrated that mission: highlighting not just the book’s content, but future possibilities for U.S. manufacturers who automate now.
Inside the Panel Discussion
Formic’s Chief Marketing Officer, Shawn Fitzgerald, led Formic’s expert panel in a discussion of three of the book’s chapters:
- “It’s a Now, Not a Later: Why Automation Can’t Wait”
- “How to Get Your Team on Board with Automation”
- “Your End of Line Automation Roadmap”
Formic’s Marketing Coordinator, Brooklyn Kiosow, read segments of each chapter, leading into a panel discussion with Danijel Lolic (VP of Product) Joel Onyshuk (VP of Sales) and Danielle Vigent (Robotic Deployment Engineer).
Each Formican brought a unique angle to the conversation:
- Danijel shared the strategic and technical foundation for sustainable automation.
- Joel spoke to the business and customer-facing urgency of automation.
- Danielle brought the human element, discussing how automation changes life on the factory floor and how to help teams embrace it.
The first chapter read focused on the urgency of automating now for manufacturers, before we hit on the key strategies to getting your team excited about how automation will transform (not eliminate) their job, and ending with a more technical focus on building your unique automation roadmap that ensures automation success.
Recognizing Formic Partners
During the event, we also celebrated one of Formic's key partners, Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network, for being such incredible champions of innovation in manufacturing. Alan Reed, CFBN's Executive Director, was there to accept the award on the organizations behalf.
Couldn’t Make It? You Can Still Read the Book
Attendees left with fresh ideas, signed copies of the book, and lively discussions about their own automation goals.
If you missed the Chicago launch, don’t worry, you can still get a copy of “Automate NOW.” Request one here.