Smart manufacturing and automation
Industry is rapidly "getting smarter"
One of the current global trends in the industry is the automation and implementation of "smart" solutions. This brings tangible benefits to companies, including increased labor productivity, reduced scrap and, as a result, increased revenue. We will outline the main global and Russian trends in this area below.
Key indicators of the global automation and smart manufacturing market
Analysts at Mordor Intelligence have estimated that by the end of 2024, the global market for industrial automation software will reach $38 billion. If the current annual growth rate (7.9%) is maintained, this figure will increase to $55 billion by 2029. In general, according to Acumen Research and Consulting, the global automation software market will exceed $76 billion by 2030.
Production automation has had a significant impact on a range of industries and economic sectors. These solutions are particularly relevant for high-tech areas, including mechanical engineering, electronics production, space and aviation industries, as well as for food production and the pharmaceutical industry.
Europe, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific region are the leading countries in terms of both the creation and consumption of automation solutions. Furthermore, the latter are the fastest-growing market, driven by a combination of high demand resulting from the industrial revolution in the region, the availability of highly qualified personnel among engineers and software developers, and significant government support.
In Russia, the pace of automation and implementation of smart solutions has historically been slower than the global average. By way of illustration, in 2023, just 16% of Russian enterprises could be considered to have a high level of automation and digitalisation. However, we must acknowledge the gradual improvement of the situation, which has been made possible by the government's attention and support. In the current environment, there is a growing need to ensure technological sovereignty and boost labour productivity. In response, the authorities are actively supporting Russian software developers, system integrators, and companies ready to implement smart solutions in their work.
Key global and Russian trends in the automation and smart manufacturing market
One of the most significant challenges currently facing the automation and smart manufacturing market is the standardisation and unification of existing solutions. The accumulation and expansion of various digital tools has been ongoing for the past 20–30 years. As a result, IT products based on different platforms can now function in one enterprise. For Russia, the issue of unified standards became relevant as a result of unprecedented sanctions pressure, which required the search for new solutions. The result of work to overcome such challenges in our country was the approval of the preliminary national standard PNST 864-2023 "Smart (SMART) Standards. General Provisions", which entered into force on 2 February 2024.
The implementation of smart solutions and automation allows for the creation of a unified digital space, enabling the management of various tasks across the entire business, regardless of the location of the elements of the system, such as shops or production facilities in different cities and countries. However, a significant challenge remains, which is to develop a unified digital landscape across the entire company, or even the entire industry, through standardised processes and common approaches.
In 2023, the current trend was predictive systems that allow the calculation of various patterns. This year has seen a shift in focus from predictive to prescriptive systems. These systems, based on advanced algorithms and machine learning principles, provide insight into the underlying principles of a given pattern, enabling the identification of optimal solutions. In contrast to predictive systems, which address the question of causality, prescriptive systems address the question of action.
What challenges are automation and smart manufacturing market players facing?
Of course, the key issue is the still high cost of such solutions, which limits their availability, primarily for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as for enterprises in developing countries. The solution may be the development of flexible systems built on a modular principle and allowing to purchase only those modules that are needed by a particular customer right now.
Another equally serious problem is the personnel issue. And it concerns both training and retention of qualified specialists in the sphere of implementation and use of automatic production control systems. The issue of personnel retention is especially relevant for Russia, where the labour market has now become a candidate's market with the ability to choose the most attractive conditions.
Why exhibit at ExpoCifra 2025
The growing popularity of factory automation solutions opens up a wide range of prospects for both the leaders of this market and new players. And participation in leading industry events is not only a chance to make a statement and demonstrate your products to the target audience, but also a great opportunity to learn the latest trends and communicate with leading experts.
One such event is ExpoCifra. An exhibition dedicated to information technologies and solutions for digital transformation, which will be held for the first time in 2025. It brings together both electronics manufacturers, software developers and consumers of such products, significantly simplifying the process of communication between them.
One of the key sections of ExpoCifra will be "Smart Manufacturing and Automation". Within this section, manufacturers and suppliers will be able to demonstrate various solutions and components for automation and digitalisation of production, solutions for "smart workplaces", automated production control systems, solutions for creating digital twins, virtual and augmented reality systems, SCADA-systems. It is worth noting that 1,676 guests showed interest in solutions for automation and digitalisation of production at ExpoElectronica 2024, which is the highest number of visitors to the section dedicated to IT and digital solutions.
If your company manufactures or sells products and solutions for automation and digitalisation of production, then participation in the International Exhibition of Information Technologies and Solutions for Digital Transformation ExpoCifra (15-17 April 2025, Moscow, Crocus Expo IEC) will allow you to demonstrate your products to the target audience, find new business partners and expand your geographical sales reach.
