In the wave of China's manufacturing transformation towards intelligence and high - end, international PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) giants have recently increased their investment in China. A series of actions centered around localized R&D and manufacturing, channel and service upgrades, and deep - industry exploration are being implemented intensively. These actions not only demonstrate their high regard for the Chinese market but also reflect new changes in the global industrial automation competition landscape. From Siemens' release of the "China Acceleration 2.0" strategy, Mitsubishi Electric's establishment of an "R&D, production, and sales integrated" headquarters in Suzhou, to ABB's focus on channel deepening and industry - specific solutions, international giants are competing in this promising market with a more market - demand - oriented approach.

Localization has become a core keyword for international PLC giants in their development in China. The in - depth localization of R&D and manufacturing is a key means for them to improve market response capabilities and reduce costs. In March 2025, Siemens grandly launched the "China Acceleration 2.0" strategy in Shanghai, debuting 18 new industrial automation products at once. Among them, 16 products achieved full localization, covering core product lines such as PLCs, inverters, servo systems, and virtual commissioning. Notably, Siemens simultaneously established the China Innovation Product Business Unit (CNP), aiming to create a complete supply chain closed - loop from local R&D, local production, to local services. Take the newly launched S7 - 1200 G2++ PLC as an example. It not only meets the needs of Chinese small and medium - sized manufacturing enterprises in terms of hardware configuration but also optimizes the software to achieve a "right - the - first - time" commissioning process, significantly shortening the equipment on - line cycle. Products like the SMART LINE V5 human - machine interface and V20 inverter, with their higher cost - effectiveness, are further penetrating the mid - to - low - end market. A Siemens representative said that the construction of the localized supply chain will shorten the product delivery cycle by more than 30% and improve the service response speed to "on - site within 4 hours", meeting customers' dual demands for efficiency and cost with "China speed".

Similarly, Mitsubishi Electric has also taken a key step in its localization layout. In June 2025, the headquarters of Mitsubishi Electric Smart Manufacturing Technology (China) Group was officially inaugurated in Suzhou. This headquarters is not just a simple regional management center but an "R&D, production, and sales integrated" platform. It is reported that the headquarters will focus on China's advantageous industries such as robotics, 3C electronics, and new energy. Through local R&D teams, it will deeply understand industry needs and quickly iterate and adapt products and solutions. For example, in response to the high - precision control requirements in the production of new energy vehicle batteries, Mitsubishi Electric plans to develop customized PLCs and servo systems at its Suzhou base to achieve "local innovation" of core technologies. This "market - close" R&D model can not only shorten the product cycle from concept to mass production but also make technological innovation precisely match the transformation pain points of Chinese manufacturing.

Based on localized manufacturing, international PLC giants are further strengthening channel construction and industry exploration, promoting the transformation of their business models from traditional "product sales" to "solution + service". In March 2025, ABB held a motion control (servo/PLC) channel partner meeting in Ningbo, clearly proposing the strategic direction of "using channels as a link to deeply explore segmented industries". At the meeting, ABB released integrated solutions for segmented fields such as printing and packaging, electronics and electrical engineering, and pharmaceuticals. For example, the "PLC + servo + energy and carbon management" system tailored for the pharmaceutical industry can achieve precise production process control and real - time energy consumption monitoring, helping enterprises meet the dual requirements of GMP certification and the carbon neutrality goal. The person in charge of ABB's Motion Control Business Unit in China pointed out that through in - depth cooperation with local channel partners, ABB will transform its technological advantages into "last - mile" implementation capabilities, enabling solutions to adapt to different industry production scenarios more quickly and promoting the rapid implementation of projects.

Siemens and Mitsubishi Electric have also taken actions in industry focus. In Siemens' "China Acceleration 2.0" strategy, new energy, lithium - ion battery, and logistics automation fields are clearly listed as key expansion directions. For key processes such as winding and packaging in lithium - ion battery production, dedicated PLC control systems have been introduced to achieve high - stability and high - compatibility of equipment. Mitsubishi Electric, relying on its new headquarters in Suzhou, has strengthened cooperation with leading enterprises in the 3C electronics industry to develop PLC and robot collaboration systems suitable for the precision assembly of consumer electronics, solving the flexible control problems in the "multi - variety, small - batch" production of 3C products. This "industry - specific" exploration strategy makes international giants no longer just simple equipment suppliers but "partners" for the transformation and upgrading of Chinese manufacturing in segmented fields.

From the recent actions of international PLC giants in China, three trends are emerging in the Chinese industrial automation market: First, localized competition is intensifying. Whether it is the increase in product localization rates or the establishment of local R&D teams, it means that international giants will engage in more direct competition with local enterprises in the mid - to - low - end market, and cost - effectiveness will become an important competitive factor. Second, the value of software and services is becoming more prominent. Value - added services such as virtual commissioning, predictive maintenance, and energy and carbon management are changing from "add - ons" to "must - haves", becoming the core of enterprise differential competition. Third, industry - specific demands are deepening. Different industries have significantly different requirements for the functions, accuracy, and compatibility of automation equipment, and "general - purpose" products are gradually being replaced by "customized" solutions.

Facing these trends, Chinese manufacturing enterprises can take the following three steps when choosing PLC products and solutions: First, conduct on - site POC (Proof of Concept) tests. In mid - to - low - end equipment transformation or projects in new energy, 3C, and other fields, compare international and local brand products, focusing on cost - effectiveness, delivery cycle, and service response speed. For example, check whether Siemens' "on - site within 4 hours" service promise can be truly fulfilled. Second, attach importance to the evaluation of the total cost of ownership (TCO). Consider not only the equipment procurement cost but also the reduction in R&D cycle brought by virtual commissioning, the downtime losses reduced by predictive maintenance, and the energy consumption costs reduced by energy and carbon management, quantifying the long - term benefits of technological investment. Finally, strengthen collaborative innovation with suppliers. Actively communicate with the local R&D teams of international giants based on the special needs of their own industries to promote the development of customized solutions and achieve a virtuous cycle of "demand - driven technology and technology - empowered production".

As the localization strategies of international PLC giants in China continue to deepen, competition in the Chinese industrial automation market will become more intense. However, it will also bring more high - quality and cost - effective choices for Chinese manufacturing enterprises. For international giants, the key to truly taking root in the Chinese market lies in their ability to continuously respond to market demands with localized innovation and win trust with high - quality services. For Chinese manufacturing enterprises, how to accelerate their intelligent transformation by integrating international advanced technologies and local cost advantages will be the core topic for future development.