Transformation in the Management Mindset to Drive Growth of the Automation and Related Software Market, says Frost & Sullivan at GIL 2010:

Bangalore, India : The manufacturing sector has been a key growth driver of the Indian economy during the recent years. The contribution of manufacturing to the Indian GDP has been around 15 percent in the past decade and is expected to reach around 25 percent by 2020, when the country’s GDP is expected to reach $3 trillion from the current level of $1.2 trillion.

As the world economy evolves into a unified market place, competition presents itself in the form of domestic and international participants. The recent downturn in the global economy has heightened the need for gaining a competitive edge in the manufacturing and process industries. The degree of automation will play a key role in driving India’s position in the global manufacturing industry. While India has gained substantially from enterprise solutions in various business processes, IT and Software implementation in the manufacturing sector has been relatively low in comparison with their counterparts in the developed economies. Current adoption of automation systems has created disparate silos resulting in an inflexible supply chain and a lack of visibility. Lack of awareness of global automation technologies and trends in manufacturing IT has also contributed to the low adoption of next generation automation solutions.

While Indian companies seek opportunities overseas and global manufacturers enter the Indian marketplace, manufacturers will need to sharpen their focus on delivering more value to their customers. Manufacturers are constantly seeking productivity enhancement tools to maintain sustainable competitive advantages. Supply chains need to be intelligent and interconnected for responding quickly to changing market dynamics. Seamless integration of automation systems such as advanced process control, SCADA, DCS, MES and PLM with ERP and other business applications will enable greater visibility to the management and provide a competitive edge to the manufacturers. Adoption of wireless technologies and PC-based automation is also increasing among Indian manufacturers. This infusion of automation technology and solutions throughout the value chain will enhance manufacturing efficiency and in turn drive the growth for PAM, MES, PLM and other automation applications.

Large investments in both the process and discrete manufacturing industries will provide strong growth opportunities for the automation solutions and software market in India. Adoption of next generation automation solutions such as MES, Wireless, PLM, and PC-based automation in India has been concentrated in high-end manufacturing sectors such as oil and gas, automotive and auto ancillary sectors. However, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages and consumer packaged goods industries are expected to significantly contribute to the next generation solutions market. Due to greater adoption of automation products, the growth rate for these products such as MES and PLM will be in excess of 15 percent CAGR over the next five years.

Transformation in the management mindset regarding the benefits of automation among Indian manufacturers and increasing global manufacturing facilities will further drive the growth of the automation and related software market.

Frost & Sullivan, along with the members and partners and the Strategic Partnership Consortium – a comprehensive alliance of visionaries, innovators and leaders, are all engaged in sharing, inspiring and creating a continuous flow of new ideas and fresh perspectives, which leverage innovation as a resource to help shape a better future for the growth of attending companies.

Member companies and organizations include: IFS, Liveperson, BrighTalk, Lenos Software, Schneider Electric, SCIP (Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals), Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Intel, Bulldog Solutions, Eloqua, and Global Spec, Inc. Through this cooperative effort, participants within the GIL community are taking monumental steps toward the development of a long-term growth strategy enabling them to effectively learn how to leverage innovation as a resource to help shape a better future for their companies and their careers.