Report: Chemical industry to invest more than $7B in digital technologies by start of next decade

June 29, 2022
The chemical industry has finally woken up to the benefits of Industry 4.0 and is ready to spend in the face of challenges such as increasing margin pressures and a declining labor force, according to analysis from ABI Research.

NEW YORK, June 29, 2022 (PRNewswire) — While still considered laggards in the digital transformation space, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the chemical industry to accept that digital transformation is critical to its future success. According to a new analysis by global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, chemical manufacturers' investment into digital transformation will grow at a CAGR of 6% between 2022 and 2031, reaching US$7.4 billion. Investment into data analytics to better understand plant conditions and optimize production will grow to be worth up to US$1 billion in 2031. Supporting this will be continued investment in industrial device and application services, alongside security, both seeing fair growth of CAGR 5.9% and 8.4% respectively.

"The chemical industry is facing significant challenges in both increasing margin pressures, calls for greater sustainability in production, and a declining labor force. As such, to increase production efficiency and maintain staff safety, chemical manufacturers are investing into technologies that monitor and analyze operations, simulate process optimization, and transfer key information from senior to junior staff," explains James Prestwood, industrial and manufacturing research analyst at ABI Research.

Technology suppliers providing software to the industry include AspenTech, Seeq, and IFS, and are underpinned by network industry giants such as Nokia, Ericsson, and Verizon. Finally, large suppliers such as Siemens, Hitachi Vantara, and Emerson, provide holistic solutions that aid chemical manufacturers in digitizing their operations end-to-end.

"Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital transformation agenda within the chemical industry has been pushed more into the spotlight. Plans that were slowly being implemented, or even relegated to pilot purgatory, have been given a new injection of life," Prestwood concludes.

These findings are from ABI Research's Digitalization in the Chemical Industry application analysis report. This report is part of the company's Industrial and Manufacturing research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights. Based on extensive primary interviews, Application Analysis reports present in-depth analysis on key market trends and factors for a specific technology.

About ABI Research

ABI Research is a global technology intelligence firm delivering actionable research and strategic guidance to technology leaders, innovators, and decision makers around the world. Our research focuses on the transformative technologies that are dramatically reshaping industries, economies and workforces today.

Sponsored Recommendations

2024 Manufacturing Trends — Unpacking AI, Workforce, and Cybersecurity

The world of manufacturing is changing, and Generative AI is one of the many change agents. The 2024 State of Smart Manufacturing Report takes a deep dive into how Generative ...

The Journey to Operational Excellence: Quality-Driven Compliance

Learn firsthand from top industry analysts how to navigate regulatory compliance (i.e. FSMA) & food safety audits in manufacturing.

Cold Chain Tracking with FactoryTalk PharmaSuite

Manage thermo-sensitive materials, optimize production & reduce waste

State of Smart Manufacturing Report Series

The world of manufacturing is changing, and Generative AI is one of the many change agents. The 2024 State of Smart Manufacturing Report takes a deep dive into how Generative ...