New ARC Advisory Group research on the General Motion Control (GMC) market shows that industries are increasingly seeking ways to improve operational efficiency while reducing energy consumption and environmental impact. Motion control solutions support greater efficiency, precision, and productivity across a wide range of industrial processes. Motors, drives, and motion controllers work together to manage the motion, speed, and position of mechanical components in industrial applications. By optimizing these functions, industries can reduce energy consumption, minimize waste, and improve overall efficiency. These systems also support applications such as robotic arms and machine tools, helping streamline industrial workflows and reduce errors.
"Sustainable manufacturing practices emphasize the responsible use of resources and lower environmental impact. Motion control technologies aid manufacturers in implementing eco-friendly processes, enabling them to reduce their carbon footprint, cut operational costs, enhance product quality, and foster innovation. The trend toward replacing hydraulic systems with servo motors is gaining momentum in various industries. This shift is driven by the desire for increased efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability. Hydraulics are known to be noisy, expensive to maintain, prone to safety issues, and capable of generating excessive heat and waste oil. Servo motors, on the other hand, offer a cleaner, quieter, and more efficient alternative. GMC systems are being updated with new features such as security, analytics, safety, simulation, and network expansion via Ethernet to support Industry 4.0," according to Stefan Miksch, Senior Analyst and key author of ARC's General Motion Control Market Research.
General Motion Control Market Trends
In addition to providing detailed competitive market share data, the research also addresses key market trends as follows:
Compact Design for Space-saving Constructions
Across modern industry, there is increasing demand for more compact machinery that minimizes the footprint on the production floor. Space efficiency is especially critical in control cabinet design, where manufacturers aim to optimize every available inch. One key approach is the adoption of multi-axis drive solutions, allowing multiple axes to be controlled through a single system. This reduces installation space while enhancing flexibility and simplifying integration into existing motion control architectures.
Servo Motors Replacing Hydraulics in Industrial Applications
The shift from hydraulic systems to servo motors is gaining momentum across industries, driven by the need for higher efficiency, improved safety, and greater environmental sustainability. While hydraulic systems remain essential for high-force applications, they are energy-intensive, require continuous operation of pumps, and involve higher maintenance due to fluid handling, wear of components, and potential leaks, while also generating noise and excess heat. In contrast, servo-driven systems use electric motors that provide precise, real-time control and higher speed and positioning accuracy while consuming energy only during motion.
Sustainability
Sustainable manufacturing practices emphasize the responsible use of resources and lower environmental impact. Motion control, which precisely manages the movement of machinery, robots, and equipment, plays a critical role in this effort by minimizing energy waste and reducing overall power consumption. Motion control technologies aid manufacturers in implementing eco-friendly processes, enabling them to reduce their carbon footprint, cut operational costs, enhance product quality, and foster innovation. The integration of advanced motion control systems ensures that manufacturers can meet the growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly products and adhere to stringent regulations. These technologies not only support the sustainability of manufacturing industries but also help ensure their longevity and competitiveness.
Convergence of IT and OT
The convergence of IT and OT now allows for remote access and the configuration of motion control components via cloud and IT systems. The advent of Industrial IoT has facilitated seamless data exchange between motion control systems and IT/ERP systems, as well as cloud platforms, providing users with business intelligence and end-to-end connectivity. These technological innovations have significantly enhanced the versatility and efficiency of motion control systems, expanding their application areas.
Leading Suppliers to the General Motion Control Market Identified
In addition to providing specific market data and industry trends, this ARC market research also identifies and positions the leading suppliers to this market and provides and summarizes their relevant offerings. An alphabetical list of key suppliers covered in this analysis includes: Bosch Rexroth, Inovance, Mitsubishi Electric, Rockwell Automation, Siemens.
About the General Motion Control Research

The General Motion Control research explores the current and future market performance and related technology and business trends and identifies leading technology suppliers. This new research is based on ARC’s industry-leading market research database, extensive primary and secondary research, and proprietary economic modelling techniques. The research includes competitive analysis, five-year market forecasts, and nine years of historical analysis. The research segmentation includes Worldwide Region, Revenue Category, Service Type, Hardware Component, Industry, Machinery Segment, Customization of Motors, Customization of Drives, Sales Channel, Customer Type.
This new research is available in a variety of formats to meet the specific research and budgetary requirements of a wide variety of organizations. ARC's Market Data Service (MDS) is an annual subscription service that provides a unique online environment to each customer, together with all the necessary user interface apps and datasets. MDS unlocks the full benefits of ARC’s time-tested market intelligence by leveraging the latest analytical tools and technologies to allow you to make more actionable, real-time business decisions. Interactive access to ARC’s qualitative analysis is displayed in context with up-to-date market data, allowing clients to develop customized views of the market to best suit their needs. ARC continues to offer our traditional static Market Reports as a PDF.
ARC provides several types of market data services. The most common are Market Growth Outlook and Competitive Analysis Services. These services provide detailed market analysis of a single or multiple products or software applications. Please visit Market Data Services page for more details on these services.