The share of industrial manufacturers expecting to highly automate key processes by 2030 will more than double-rising from 18% to 50%-according to PwC's Global Industrial Manufacturing Sector Outlook 2026, released in February. The report, drawn from a survey of 443 senior executives across 24 territories spanning North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, identifies the current period as an inflection point for sectors including metal fabrication, machinery, and components manufacturing. For plant managers and capital planners in metalworking, the forecast signals a near-term window to commit resources to robotic cells, AI-based inspection, and integrated data infrastructure-or risk falling behind a widening performance gap.
Background
The global industrial manufacturing industry, valued at approximately $16 trillion, sits at what PwC describes as an inflection point, with AI, advanced technologies, and automation accelerating growth and productivity. The report builds on a trend already visible on shop floors: the median share of manufacturing executives reporting that their operations largely rely on advanced technologies is projected to rise from 26% to 68% by 2030. Two areas expected to lead adoption are production and operations, and product design and development, where the proportion of respondents planning heavy use of advanced technology reaches 76% and 72%, respectively.
The report draws a sharp distinction between what PwC calls "future-fit" manufacturers-the fastest, most agile, and most innovative 20% of surveyed companies-and the broader field. Currently, 29% of future-fit companies have highly automated processes, compared with 15% of others; by 2030, that share is expected to reach 65% for future-fit companies versus 45% for the rest. For metal fabrication operations managing high-mix production and custom orders, this divergence has direct implications for throughput, lead time, and contract competitiveness.
Details
Respondents indicate that extensive use of advanced technology in business support functions-such as finance and human resources-will nearly quadruple by 2030, while automation of physical production, data capture and analytics, and after-sales support is also projected to expand significantly. Among investment priorities cited, robotics is viewed primarily as a productivity tool, with 78% of respondents citing productivity as the chief goal for robotic investment and only 13% citing growth. AI, by contrast, is expected to deliver equally on both dimensions.
The research also reveals a widening divide: a future-fit cohort is pulling ahead by combining technology with clean data, interoperable systems, and cultures that learn and adapt quickly, while others risk being slowed by skills gaps, fragmented infrastructure, and organizational friction. Ryan Hawk, Global Industrials and Services Leader at PwC US, stated: "The question is no longer whether companies will adopt new technologies, but how fast they can integrate them." Hawk added that "the most meaningful performance differentiation will come from how coherently those technologies, including AI and automation, work together."
Workforce readiness remains a critical success factor. Companies that invest in upskilling, cultural alignment, and change management are more likely to implement automation strategies successfully and translate digital ambition into measurable performance gains.
Outlook
As technology enablement and automation surge, manufacturers are looking beyond core products for new revenue streams, positioning themselves as providers of integrated solutions that combine hardware with software, data, services, and technology support. PwC survey respondents project that 44% of total company revenue will come from outside the manufacturing of industrial and consumer products by 2030. For fabricators and tooling suppliers evaluating near-term capital allocations, PwC's data reinforces the case for prioritizing pilot-to-scale automation programs-particularly in robotic welding, vision-guided inspection, and telemetry infrastructure-before the divide between leaders and laggards becomes structural.
For a deeper analysis of what PwC's forecast means for ROI, workforce strategy, and policy in metalworking, see our related feature: Automation Will Double by 2030: What PwC's Forecast Means for ROI, Skills, and Policy in Metalworking.
