I/O Modules for Discrete Automation

The I/O Modules for Discrete Automation Market Research delivers current market analysis plus a five-year market and technology forecast. It is available in multiple editions including worldwide, all regions, and most major countries. 

I/O Modules Gain Strategic Importance as Discrete Automation Recovers

ARC‘s latest research shows that I/O modules are taking on a more strategic role in discrete automation as manufacturers move toward more connected, intelligent, and flexible production architectures. Positioned between field devices, controllers, and higher-level systems, I/O modules provide the essential link between physical equipment and digital operations. Demand weakened in 2025 as manufacturers reduced capital spending and favored modernization over major capacity additions. However, this shift also reinforced the importance of I/O modules in brownfield upgrades, decentralized control, and data-driven manufacturing. With the market expected to return to growth in 2026, suppliers are increasingly differentiating their offerings through I/O-Link, industrial Ethernet, edge processing, diagnostics, and application-specific designs. These capabilities are moving I/O modules beyond basic signal handling and making them an increasingly important component of resilient and adaptable automation systems.

Discrete I/O Modules Strategic Issues

Discrete I/O Modules Market Trends

In addition to providing a five-year market forecast, the I/O Modules for Discrete Automation market research report provides detailed quantitative current market data and addresses key strategic issues as follows.

Industrial IoT–Starting at the Edge 

Machines in the future will be run by networks of perfectly connected smart devices and systems. But the road to Industrial IoT will be more of an evolution than a revolution as the world transitions to IT-style automation architectures. End users can experiment and discover the practical side of Industrial IoT by using edge devices to add new functionality such as machine analytics to existing automation systems.

OPC UA for Cloud Connection

OPC UA has become the tool of choice for linking to a cloud platform, and most suppliers and OEMs support this protocol. There is already a wide range of products out there that support it, including barcode readers.

Use Open Standards

Standardization is a key to success. However, standardizing on hardware alone is less important than standardizing on networks and semantics of operations. ARC recommends looking at open communications first and standardizing on connectivity rather than on a dedicated controller.

Market Data Research Available Datasets

This in-depth market data research is split into two key modules: Market Growth Outlook and Competitive Analysis.  Each of these modules is further configured into several sub-modules to meet the needs of executives as well as marketing, sales, and product development managers.  All of these modules and sub-modules may be purchased as a bundle or separately.  A brief description of these modules, sub-modules, and their use cases is included below.

Market Growth Outlook

ARC’s market growth outlook service delivers an in-depth market opportunity analysis including five-year market and technology forecasts and 3-year history trend lines where available. Besides providing an in-depth analysis of the market opportunity provided by each technology, this service allows technology suppliers to analyze their own customized markets consisting of multiple technologies. For example, customers can view different market scenarios by adding or removing technology markets from the analysis, providing them a Total Available Market (TAM) view of their own served market. A list of the available market growth outlook services can be seen in the list below.  

This service is designed to help accelerate your organization's ability to understand an up-to-date view of the market opportunity provided by your current product portfolio and analyze how your company’s market opportunity would change if you were to acquire or divest a particular product line. The service will also help you identify and capitalize on emerging markets, whether these markets are based on an emerging technology, region, vertical industry, or application. Built upon a proprietary market model and ARC’s field proven primary research, this service helps product and marketing managers optimize their business plans by identifying the opportunities provided by emerging trends. ARC’s reputation as the preeminent independent provider of market growth opportunity analyses for nearly four decades also provides greater weight to your business plans. ARC’s market growth outlook services are available in a variety of formats depending on whether you view your market opportunities via different technologies, industries, or world regions.  

In addition, ARC has a strong history of providing customized market opportunity reports and services to meet your specific needs.  For example, you may sell your products only to specific industries and/or in only one or two regions. You tell us your served markets and ARC can quickly configure a report or service designed to best serve your served market.

ARC provides several versions of these reports and services depending on your role in the organization. Executive Views are high level market opportunities designed to help executives quickly identify key trends and market opportunities around the world.  In-depth market opportunity analyses provide marketing and product managers more detailed technology specific market information to plan marketing and product development strategies.  The following table shows more specific information included in each version.

Market Growth Outlook AnalysisUse CasesTarget Role
Worldwide Market Growth Outlook by Industry & Region with 3-year history where availableIn-depth technology-specific strategic growth planning across multiple technologies, applications, regions, and industriesProduct & Marketing Managers
Worldwide Industry Growth Outlook by Region with 3-year history where availableStrategic technology growth planning for markets defined by a single or multiple vertical industriesIndustry Managers
Regional/Country Market Growth Outlook by Technology & Industry with 3-year history where available (includes country data)Strategic technology growth planning for markets defined by a single or multiple world regionsRegional & Country Sales Managers
Market Growth Outlook Executive ViewStrategic Total Available Market (TAM) growth planning dashboard covering multiple vertical industries, technologies, and world regionsExecutives
Market Competitive Analysis

ARC’s Competitive Analysis services deliver in depth competitive analyses across multiple technologies, applications, regions, and industries.  Besides providing an in-depth analysis of the market opportunity provided by each technology, this service allows technology suppliers to analyze their own customized markets consisting of multiple technologies. For example, customers can view different market scenarios by adding or removing technology markets from the analysis, providing them a Total Available Market (TAM) view of their own served market. A list of the available market growth outlook services can be seen in the list below.  

This service is designed to help product and marketing managers identify their company’s market positioning across multiple views within their Serviceable Available Market (SAM). Built upon a proprietary market model and ARC’s field proven primary research, this service helps product and marketing managers optimize their business plans by identifying how their company’s market position would change if the company were to acquire or divest a particular product line or technology. ARC’s reputation as the preeminent independent provider of competitive market benchmarking for nearly four decades lends greater weight to your business plans. ARC’s market competitive services are available in a variety of formats depending on whether you view your market opportunities via different technologies, industries, or world regions.  

In addition, ARC has a strong history of providing customized market opportunity reports and services to meet the specific needs of our clients.  For example, you may sell your products only to specific industries and/or in only one or two regions. You tell us your served markets and ARC can quickly configure a report or service designed to best serve your served market.

ARC provides several versions of these reports and services depending on your role in the organization. Executive Views are high level market competitive analyses designed to help executives quickly assess their SAM by world region, technology, or vertical industry. In-depth competitive market analyses provide marketing and product managers more detailed technology specific benchmarking information to plan marketing and product development strategies.  The following table shows more specific information included in each version. 

Competitive AnalysisUse CasesTarget Role
Worldwide Competitive Analysis by TechnologyIn-depth competitive market analysis that quantifies how your company’s market position has changed over time across multiple technologies, applications, regions, and industriesProduct & Marketing Managers
Worldwide Competitive Analysis by IndustryStrategic technology-based competitive analyses for markets defined by a single or multiple vertical industriesIndustry Managers
Regional/Country Competitive Analysis by IndustryStrategic technology-based competitive analyses for markets defined by a single or multiple world regionsRegional Sales Managers
Competitive Analysis Executive ViewStrategic Serviceable Available Market (SAM) analysis dashboard covering multiple vertical industries, technologies, and world regionsExecutives

Worldwide Research Focus Areas

Strategic Analysis

  • Executive Overview
  • Major Market Trends
  • Buyer Strategies
  • Supplier Strategies
  • Growth Contributors and Inhibitors

Competitive Analysis

  • Market Shares of the Leading Suppliers
  • Market Shares by Region
    • North America
    • Europe, Middle East, Asia
    • Asia
    • Latin America
  • Market Shares by Hardware Type
    • Analog Modules (Input & Output)
    • Digital Modules (Input & Output)
    • Intelligent IO
    • Network Adaptor
    • Power Supply & Chassis
  • Market Shares by Form Factor
    • Modular IO (IP20)
    • Slice IO (IP20)
    • Block IO Module (IP20)
    • Block IO Module (IP65/67)
  • Market Shares by Number of Channels
  • Market Shares by Industry
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Automotive
    • Building Automation
    • Cement & Glass
    • Chemical
    • Electric Power Generation
    • Electric Power T&D
    • Electronics & Electrical
    • Fabricated Metals
    • Food & Beverage
    • Machinery
    • Metals
    • Mining
    • Oil & Gas
    • Pharmaceutical & Biotech
    • Pulp & Paper
    • Refining
    • Semiconductors
    • Water & Wastewater
  • Market Shares by Machinery Segment
  • Market Shares by Sales Channel
  • Market Shares by Customer Type

Market Forecasts & Histories

  • Total Shipments of Discrete I/O Modules
  • Shipments by Region
    • North America
    • Europe, Middle East, Asia
    • Asia
    • Latin America
  • Shipments by Hardware Type
    • Analog Modules (Input & Output)
    • Digital Modules (Input & Output)
    • Intelligent IO
    • Network Adaptor
    • Power Supply & Chassis
  • Shipments by Form Factor
    • Modular IO (IP20)
    • Slice IO (IP20)
    • Block IO Module (IP20)
    • Block IO Module (IP65/67)
  • Shipments by Number of Channels
  • Shipments by Industry
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Automotive
    • Building Automation
    • Cement & Glass
    • Chemical
    • Electric Power Generation
    • Electric Power T&D
    • Electronics & Electrical
    • Fabricated Metals
    • Food & Beverage
    • Machinery
    • Metals
    • Mining
    • Oil & Gas
    • Pharmaceutical & Biotech
    • Pulp & Paper
    • Refining
    • Semiconductors
    • Water & Wastewater
  • Shipments by Machinery Segment
  • Shipments by Sales Channel
  • Shipments by Customer Type

Industry Participants

The research identifies all relevant suppliers serving this market. 

Regional Research Focus Areas

Strategic Analysis

Competitive Analysis

  • Leading Suppliers in Region
  • Industry Shares in Region
  • Country Shares in Region
  • Leading Suppliers by Industry

Market Forecasts & Histories 

  • Market Forecast & History by Country
  • Market Forecast & History by Industry

Industry Participants

List of countries included in each region: MIRA-Country

For More Information

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