1、 2026 L.E.K.Consulting LLP1Discrete(Factory)AutomationTechnology,Scale and the Next Wave of Industrial InvestmentApril 2026 2026 L.E.K.Consulting LLP2 2Executive summaryDrivers of automation,impact of key trends and new technologiesExample case studies on discrete automation M&A trends in the discre

2、te(factory)automation marketTable of Contents 2026 L.E.K.Consulting LLP3Executive summaryAutomation is a critical success factor for todays factory processes,enabling high quality,high throughput and low production costs.Based on current trends this market is expected to grow substantially in the co

3、ming years,providing a range of opportunities for investment and value creation.While the initial automation and robotics revolution was started by the automotive industry,new industries such as healthcare,food,consumer goods and electronics manufacturing are increasingly utilising automation system

4、s.In the past two decades,non-automotive industries have increased their automation usage,with evolving application technologies driving strong adoption.Current automation trends are creating intelligent factories where new and innovative manufacturing technologies are increasing flexibility,quality

5、,security,and productivity.Main trends in discrete automation include:Physical artificial intelligence(AI)and intelligent robotics:AI-enabled perception,motion planning and autonomous systems are enabling more adaptive,high-mix production,improving flexibility,quality and labour productivity while a

6、ccelerating the shift to intelligent factoriesIndustrial simulation and digital twins:Software simulation is evolving from isolated design tools to enterprise digital twin platforms embedded across commissioning and live operations,enabling virtual validation,faster ramp-up and continuous optimisati