PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1948188
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1948188
Pulp and paper automation refers to the use of advanced control systems, sensors, and digital technologies to monitor, regulate, and optimize operations across pulp and paper manufacturing processes. It includes automation of processes such as pulping, bleaching, paper formation, drying, and finishing through distributed control systems (DCS), programmable logic controllers (PLC), and industrial IoT integration. The primary purpose of pulp and paper automation is to enhance production efficiency, ensure consistent product quality, and reduce energy and resource consumption.
The global pulp and paper automation market reached a value of nearly $6,315.30 million in 2024, having grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.22% since 2019. The market is expected to grow from $6,315.30 million in 2024 to $8,935.96 million in 2029 at a rate of 7.19%. The market is then expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.67% from 2029 and reach $12,343.86 million in 2034.
Growing Adoption Of Industrial Automation
Growing adoption of industrial automation contributed to the growth of the pulp and paper automation market in the historic period. The pulp and paper sector experienced rapid digitalization as mills accelerated automation adoption to counter rising labor costs, aging workforces and operational inefficiencies. Companies implemented industrial control systems, distributed control systems (DCS) and machine learning-based optimization tools to enhance production reliability. For instance, in September 2024, according to Shotton Mill, a UK-based paper mill, stated that, Eren Holding, a Turkey-based private holding company, has launched a £1 billion ($1.32961 billion) Shotton Mill project to build a state-of-the-art containerboard and tissue facility including automated production lines such as a cardboard paper machine capacity 750,000 tons per year and a tissue machine 67,000 tons per year, demonstrating large-scale investment and automation in pulp and paper manufacturing. Therefore, the growing adoption of industrial automation drove the growth of the pulp and paper automation market.
Modernizing MES With Lightweight, Mill-Focused Execution Platforms
Major companies in the pulp and paper automation sector are pushing toward next-generation MES (manufacturing execution system) platforms that are lighter, more modular, and tightly integrated into mill operations and planning systems. These MES solutions are purpose-built for pulp and paper, with small footprints, modern web connectivity, and real-time coordination, to support increased agility, traceability, and operational optimization. For instance, in October 2025, MAJIQ, a US-based computer software company, unveiled Ether, a lightweight, web-based MES designed specifically for the pulp and paper industry. The platform offers seamless integration with ERP systems, configurable user interfaces, reliable equipment connectivity, and flexible deployment (cloud or on-premises). Ether is positioned as a small-footprint MES optimized for managing manufacturing execution and quality in pulp and paper operations. Additionally in September 2025, ABB Group, a Switzerland-based multinational corporation specializing in automation and electrical technology, launched ABB Ability(TM) Plant Optimizer for Pulp Mills, a mill-wide optimization software that bridges the gap between MES, planning, and real-time operations. It enables coordination across the pulp process, from planning to execution, offers traceability of material flows, economic optimization, and decision support tied to MES goals.
The global pulp and paper automation market is concentrated, with large players operating in the market. The top 10 competitors in the market made up 33.83% of the total market in 2024.
Pulp And Paper Automation Global Market Opportunities And Strategies To 2034 from The Business Research Company provides the strategists; marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global pulp and paper automation market as it emerges from the COVID-19 shut down.
Where is the largest and fastest-growing market for pulp and paper automation? How does the market relate to the overall economy; demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The pulp and paper automation market global report from The Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics; size and growth; segmentation; regional and country breakdowns; competitive landscape; market shares; trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's history and forecasts market growth by geography. It places the market within the context of the wider pulp and paper automation market; and compares it with other markets.