New Siemens Automation Organization Brings Factory Automation, Motion Control and Process Automation Closer Together

Siemens is making a significant organizational change to its industrial automation business as the company prepares to bring its major automation activities together under a new unified organization.

Starting October 1, 2026, Siemens plans to combine Factory Automation, Motion Control, Process Automation and Customer Services into a single Automation organization. Rainer Brehm has been appointed to lead the new unit. The restructuring is part of Siemens' broader ONE Tech Company strategy and is intended to strengthen the company's ability to provide more integrated solutions for industrial customers.

The change is important for the global PLC, DCS and industrial automation market because the boundaries between different automation technologies are becoming less distinct.

Modern factories increasingly require PLC controllers, motion systems, industrial software, process control, robotics and digital services to work together.

Instead of treating these technologies as separate systems, manufacturers are moving toward unified automation architectures.

Why Siemens Is Bringing Automation Technologies Together

Industrial automation has traditionally been divided into several technology areas.

Factory automation focuses heavily on discrete manufacturing and PLC-based machine control.

Motion control manages servo motors, drives and high-speed machine movement.

Process automation focuses on continuous and batch processes and commonly relies on DCS technology.

These technologies are now increasingly interconnected.

A modern manufacturing facility may contain:

• PLC controllers
• DCS systems
• Servo drives
• Industrial robots
• HMIs
• Remote I/O
• Industrial Ethernet
• Edge computing
• Engineering software

Manufacturers want these systems to exchange information more easily.

The integration of automation technologies can simplify engineering and improve production visibility.

PLC and DCS Systems Are Moving Toward Greater Integration

PLC and DCS platforms traditionally served different industrial requirements.

PLCs became particularly important for discrete manufacturing, machine control and fast sequential operations.

DCS platforms became essential for large continuous processes such as chemical production, oil and gas processing and power generation.

However, modern industrial facilities increasingly combine both types of automation.

For example, a process plant may use a DCS to manage the main process while PLC systems control packaging, material handling or auxiliary machinery.

Better integration between these systems can help operators manage the entire facility more efficiently.

Motion Control Is Becoming Part of the Wider Automation Architecture

Motion control is another important part of modern automation.

Manufacturers increasingly require high-speed and precise movement for:

• Packaging machines
• Assembly systems
• Semiconductor equipment
• Robotics
• Material handling

Motion controllers, servo drives and PLC systems need to exchange information in real time.

Bringing these technologies closer together can simplify machine engineering and improve synchronization.

For machine builders, this can potentially reduce the complexity of automation architectures.

Industrial Software Plays a Larger Role

Automation is no longer only about hardware.

Industrial software is becoming an increasingly important part of factory operations.

Manufacturers use software for:

• Engineering
• Simulation
• Production monitoring
• Equipment diagnostics
• Data analysis
• Maintenance

Digital engineering tools allow automation teams to simulate machines and production systems before physical commissioning.

This can help reduce engineering errors and shorten commissioning time.

Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Automation

AI is becoming increasingly relevant to industrial automation.

Manufacturers are exploring AI for:

• Predictive maintenance
• Quality inspection
• Production optimization
• Process analysis
• Energy management

However, industrial AI depends on reliable operational data.

PLC and DCS systems generate much of the data required for industrial AI applications.

This makes the integration between control systems and digital platforms increasingly important.

Industrial Edge Computing Supports Real-Time Applications

Edge computing provides another connection between traditional automation and digital technologies.

Industrial edge systems process data closer to production equipment.

This can be useful for applications requiring fast responses.

Examples include:

• Machine condition monitoring
• Vision inspection
• Production analytics
• Energy optimization

Edge computing can reduce the need to send every piece of operational data to centralized cloud platforms.

Cybersecurity Becomes Part of Automation Architecture

As automation systems become more connected, cybersecurity becomes more important.

Factories increasingly connect control systems to:

• Enterprise networks
• Remote maintenance platforms
• Industrial cloud systems
• Engineering workstations

These connections create valuable functionality but also require strong security controls.

Modern automation architectures need to consider:

• Network segmentation
• Access management
• Secure communication
• Device monitoring
• Software lifecycle management

Cybersecurity will increasingly become a standard part of industrial automation engineering.

What the Siemens Reorganization Means for Automation Customers

The creation of a unified Automation organization could make it easier for customers to approach Siemens for broader automation requirements.

Instead of dealing with different technology organizations separately, customers may increasingly receive solutions covering:

• Factory automation
• Process automation
• Motion control
• Automation services

This approach reflects the changing requirements of industrial customers.

Manufacturers are looking for complete automation ecosystems rather than isolated products.

Implications for PLC and Industrial Equipment Suppliers

The development is also relevant to international industrial automation suppliers.

As automation architectures become more integrated, customers may increasingly demand compatible solutions across multiple technology categories.

The market continues to include products such as:

• PLC modules
• DCS controllers
• Digital I/O modules
• Communication modules
• Servo drives
• HMI panels
• Industrial computers
• Remote I/O
• Automation accessories

Replacement and modernization markets will remain important because many industrial facilities continue operating older automation systems.

Future of Integrated Industrial Automation

The industrial automation market is moving toward greater integration.

The distinction between PLC control, motion control, process automation and digital manufacturing is becoming less rigid.

Future automation platforms will increasingly combine:

• Control
• Motion
• Robotics
• Data
• AI
• Industrial software
• Cybersecurity

This transition will require automation engineers to understand a broader range of technologies.