Discrete Automation Market Report 2026

The discrete automation market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $6.35 billion in 2025 to $6.7 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to rising demand for automation in manufacturing, need for precision and efficiency, adoption of plc and dcs systems, expansion of automotive and aerospace industries, focus on quality control and production optimization.

The discrete automation market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $8.22 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing adoption of ai-powered automation, growth of smart factories, demand for iot-enabled process control, shift towards digital twins and simulation, expansion of food processing and packaging automation. Major trends in the forecast period include integration of predictive maintenance systems, real-time production monitoring and analytics, modular and scalable automation solutions, enhanced human-machine interface (hmi) adoption, cloud-based control and remote operations.

The rising need for efficient manufacturing is anticipated to drive the growth of the discrete automation market in the coming years. Efficient manufacturing involves producing goods at the lowest overall cost while minimizing waste of materials, time, and energy, while also improving operational effectiveness and product quality. Increasing labor costs, volatile raw material prices, and rising energy expenses are pushing manufacturers to focus on process optimization and cost efficiency, thereby strengthening the demand for efficient manufacturing practices. Discrete automation technologies such as robotics, PLCs (programmable logic controllers), and conveyor systems enhance production efficiency by enabling automated assembly lines to run continuously at consistent speeds, leading to higher productivity and shorter cycle times. For instance, in July 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), a UK-based government body, monthly production output rose by 0.2% in May 2024, with growth recorded across 7 of the 13 sub-sectors. Thus, the growing emphasis on efficient manufacturing is contributing to the expansion of the discrete automation market.

Leading companies operating in the discrete automation market are increasingly focusing on the development of advanced solutions such as life cycle assessment (LCA) automation to strengthen their competitive position. LCA automation refers to a technology that provides an integrated solution for discrete manufacturing by combining advanced automation tools to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and boost overall productivity. For example, in March 2023, Sphera Solutions Inc., a US-based software company, introduced a new advancement in LCA automation that transformed product sustainability practices in discrete manufacturing. With this solution, enterprise-wide LCA analyses can be completed in minutes instead of months, significantly enhancing efficiency. By automatically importing product data from the Bill of Materials (BOM) and rapidly calculating emissions, this solution enables discrete manufacturers to conduct accurate LCAs across their entire product portfolio within shorter timeframes. The primary goal of LCA automation is to help businesses, especially those handling complex products, systematically reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout the production cycle in line with sustainability goals.

In January 2024, ABB Ltd., a Switzerland-based engineering company, acquired Sevensense Robotics AG, a robotics company based in Switzerland, for an undisclosed amount. This strategic acquisition enhances ABB's position in the discrete automation market by providing advanced sensing technology and a broader product portfolio. The acquisition aims to meet growing demand, improve manufacturing efficiency, enhance safety, reduce costs, and future-proof manufacturing processes. Sevensense Robotics AG specializes in developing technology that enables mobile robots to navigate safely and autonomously in dynamic spaces.

Major companies operating in the discrete automation market are Hitachi Ltd.; Siemens AG; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Honeywell International Inc.; ABB Ltd.; Invensys plc; Toshiba Corporation; Eaton Corporation plc; Emerson Electric Co.; ANDRITZ GROUP; Rockwell Automation Inc.; Omron Corporation; Valmet Oyj; Azbil Corporation; Ingeteam; Chongqing Chuanyi Automation Co. Ltd.; HollySys Automation Technologies; Nanjing Sciyon Automation Group Co. Ltd.; ShanghAI Automation Instrumentation Co. Ltd.; Yokogawa Electric Corporation; SUPCON Technology Co. Ltd.; ShanghAI Xin Hua Control Technology Co. Ltd.; Nanjing Delto Technology.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the discrete automation market in 2025. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the discrete automation market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the discrete automation market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Tariffs have impacted the discrete automation market by increasing costs of imported plc modules, robotics, and industrial controllers, particularly affecting regions like asia-pacific and europe where manufacturing hubs rely on imported components. Segments such as automotive, aerospace, and food processing are most affected due to dependency on advanced automation equipment. On the positive side, tariffs have encouraged local manufacturing of control systems and industrial robots, fostering domestic innovation and supply chain resilience while reducing reliance on imports.

The discrete automation market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides discrete automation market statistics, including discrete automation industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a discrete automation market share, detailed discrete automation market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the discrete automation industry. This discrete automation market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Discrete automation entails employing automated systems for the precise control of designated processes or tasks within manufacturing, industrial, or operational settings. These systems are crafted to execute tasks with enhanced precision, swiftness, and reliability, thereby contributing to heightened operational efficiency, productivity, and quality in manufacturing and other industrial functions.

The primary forms of discrete automation encompass product lifecycle management (PLM), manufacturing execution system (MES), programmable logic controllers (PLC), distributed control system (DCS), among others. Product lifecycle management (PLM) involves overseeing the complete lifespan of a product, spanning from its inception and design to manufacturing, service, and disposal. These components are classified into solutions and services, applied across various sectors such as packaging, automotive, textile, aerospace and defense, food processing, and more.

The discrete automation market consists of revenues earned by entities providing services such as consulting, integration, installation, maintenance, repair, and training related to automation technologies. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The discrete automation market also includes sales of products such as industrial robots, human-machine interface (HMI) systems, motion control systems, sensors, vision systems, and machine vision cameras. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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