Banelec says manufacturers must think beyond individual machines as new PwC research highlights widening gap between automation leaders and the rest of industry
The manufacturers that embrace integrated automation over the next five years are set to pull decisively ahead of competitors still relying on disconnected production systems, according to new global research highlighting one of the biggest shifts in industrial manufacturing for decades.
PwC’s Global Industrial Manufacturing Sector Outlook 2026 predicts that the proportion of manufacturers with highly automated core processes will more than double by 2030, rising from just 18% today to 50%. Among the industry’s most advanced businesses, automation levels are expected to reach 65%, creating an increasingly significant competitive advantage through higher productivity, greater agility and faster decision-making.
For electrical control systems manufacturer and automation integrator Banelec, the findings reflect a trend that has been steadily gathering pace across UK manufacturing.
Rather than viewing automation as individual projects designed to improve a single production line, more manufacturers are now seeking joined-up electrical control systems capable of connecting machines, utilities, robotics, energy infrastructure and production data into one intelligent operating environment.
Dean Banner, Managing Director of Banelec, believes the conversation around automation has fundamentally changed.
“Five or ten years ago, many automation projects focused on replacing a manual process or making one machine work more efficiently,” he said. “Today our customers are looking at their entire operation. They want production equipment, electrical controls, robotics, energy systems and factory data to communicate with one another so the whole business becomes more responsive.”
The PwC research, based on interviews with 443 senior manufacturing executives across 24 countries, concludes that future performance will depend less on simply acquiring new technologies and more on integrating them effectively. Production and operations are expected to become the largest users of advanced technologies by 2030, with heavy adoption increasing from 29% today to 76%, while product development will almost double its use of advanced digital technologies.
That trend is becoming increasingly visible across the sectors served by Banelec, including advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defence, energy and industrial processing, where production systems are becoming more interconnected and increasingly dependent upon sophisticated electrical control architecture.
Modern automation projects frequently combine PLC programming, HMI development, SCADA systems, variable speed drives, robotics integration, safety systems, industrial networking and remote diagnostics into a single engineered solution.
According to Dean Banner, this systems-level thinking is where many manufacturers now gain their competitive advantage.
“The real value isn’t simply adding more automation. It’s making every part of the factory work together. If machines operate in isolation, you only improve individual processes. When electrical control systems integrate production equipment, energy management, quality monitoring and operational data, manufacturers gain visibility they simply didn’t have before. That allows faster decisions, better productivity and much greater resilience.”
PwC also predicts manufacturers will increasingly generate revenue from activities beyond traditional product manufacturing, with 44% of future income expected to come from connected solutions, services and intelligent technologies rather than simply producing equipment.
For engineering companies, that evolution is creating demand for more sophisticated automation infrastructure capable of supporting digital manufacturing, predictive maintenance, remote monitoring and increasingly flexible production.
Dean Banner believes this represents a natural progression for manufacturers investing for long-term growth.
“Automation is no longer viewed purely as a capital investment to reduce labour. It’s becoming part of wider business strategy.”
“Customers want systems that can adapt as production changes, accommodate new equipment, provide better operational information and support future expansion without rebuilding everything from scratch.”
As manufacturers continue investing in digital transformation, Banelec expects electrical control engineering to become an increasingly strategic discipline rather than simply a supporting function.
The company’s engineers are working with customers to design scalable control systems that integrate new technologies while maintaining the reliability and resilience demanded by complex manufacturing environments.
The PwC report concludes that the manufacturers creating the greatest competitive advantage will be those capable of treating automation, AI and advanced technologies as integrated systems rather than standalone projects.
Dean Banner believes that principle mirrors the direction already being taken by many of Britain’s most successful manufacturers.
“The businesses moving fastest aren’t necessarily buying the most technology,” he said. “They’re investing in engineering that allows everything to work together. That’s where automation delivers its biggest return, because the control system becomes the foundation that connects people, processes and technology into one efficient manufacturing operation.”
As UK industry continues its drive towards smarter factories, the distinction between automation leaders and laggards is likely to become increasingly defined not by the number of machines they own, but by how intelligently those machines are connected.