Digital twins and edge AI fuel surge in process industry automation investments
The process‑industry automation market is entering a period of accelerated growth driven by rapid adoption of advanced technologies and growing regulatory and operational pressures, according to a report released November 24, 2025 by Harris Williams and L.E.K. Consulting.
The report notes that global revenues for process‑industry automation rose from roughly $66 billion in 2015 to about $106 billion in 2024, with the market now forecast to reach approximately $160 billion by 2030. The largest share of demand today is concentrated in six sectors: oil and gas, power, mining, chemicals, food & beverage, and pharmaceuticals, which together account for about 85 percent of market activity.
Key drivers for this expansion include the rising use of digital technologies such as digital twins, edge‑computing automation architectures, private 5G networks, advanced sensors, and AI-enabled analytics. These innovations support applications like predictive maintenance, emissions monitoring, modular distributed control, and real‑time quality and safety compliance. At the same time, macro pressures — including workforce shortages, supply‑chain regionalization, mounting regulatory compliance and sustainability requirements — are prompting manufacturers to accelerate automation investments.
On the corporate front, the automation space has seen significant consolidation: more than 650 mergers and acquisitions have been completed over the past four years. The report highlights a shift in buyer strategy — companies are increasingly pursuing acquisitions of niche, technology‑rich firms (robotics, machine vision, advanced sensors, and IIoT) to plug capabilities gaps, rather than focusing on broad digitization.
Looking ahead, the report forecasts sustained strong deal activity over the next 12–24 months as companies seek to strengthen their automation capabilities, align with environmental and compliance requirements, and build resilience in supply chains and operations.
For manufacturers, operations leaders, and investors, this signals a pivotal moment — automation is no longer just a tool for improving efficiency. It is rapidly becoming a central strategic lever to navigate evolving regulatory, workforce, and supply‑chain challenges. As legacy control systems give way to modular, intelligent architectures, companies that act now may secure competitive advantage in cost, compliance, flexibility, and scalability.