In this episode of ARC Industry Talks, Florian Güldner is joined by ARC analyst Stefan Miksch to explore Brazil’s changing industrial landscape and the developments shaping its automation and technology markets. The discussion looks at Brazil’s evolving position in the global industrial economy, including changing trade relationships, increasing market openness and the growing role of technology and modernization. Stefan shares insights from ARC’s market research, including an estimated Brazilian process and discrete automation market of around $3.5 billion, representing approximately 2% of the global automation market. Process industries account for around 80% of the market, with energy, utilities, oil and gas and biofuels playing major roles. The conversation also explores the growth of automotive, food and beverage, packaging and machinery, as well as the increasing use of AI, digitalization, Industry 4.0, MES and advanced analytics to improve industrial operations. Another key theme is Brazil’s technology ecosystem. Global automation suppliers operate alongside strong local companies such as WEG, Altus, SMAR and Radix, supported by local integrators and engineering companies. This combination of global technology and local expertise is creating new opportunities for modernization. Throughout the episode, Florian and Stefan discuss how technology, changing trade dynamics and Brazil’s strong industrial ecosystem could shape the next phase of industrial development. The key takeaway: Brazil combines a large and diversified industrial market with a growing technology ecosystem and increasing demand for modernization. AI, digitalization, automation and changing global trade dynamics could all play an important role in shaping what comes next. The episode also looks ahead to the ARC Industry Forum in Rio de Janeiro, November 10–12, 2026, bringing together industrial users, technology suppliers and system integrators to discuss cybersecurity, open automation, industrial AI and digital transformation. Featured perspectives will include Petrobras, Braskem, Nestlé and Vivix, with discussions covering remote operations, Industry 4.0, open automation and the challenge of scaling industrial AI beyond individual pilots. Chapters 00:00 Why ARC Is Taking the Forum to Brazil 3:53 Beyond BRICS: Brazil Is Not China 4:57 The Infant Industry Argument – and Why It Failed 6:10 Sizing the Market: USD 3.5 Billion, 80% Process 7:44 Infrastructure, Oil & Gas and 100% Biofuels 9:13 Remote Operations 10:42 Discrete Automation: Automotive Leads 13:13 Food & Beverage, Machine Builders and Modernization 17:33 The Local Vendor Ecosystem: WEG, Altus, SMAR, Radix 20:11 ARC Forum Rio Want to get in touch? We welcome your suggestions, ideas, feedback and criticism. Feel free to leave us a comment on Spotify or write to us at: info@arcweb-europe.com. You can also reach us on LinkedIn (@arcweb-europe) or YouTube (@ARCadvisory). Furthermore, you can subscribe to ARCwire Industry Newsletter at: https://www.arcweb.com/about/newsletters Further readings We’ve linked relevant ARC reports and resources in the show notes or visit: www.arcweb.com • https://brazil.arcweb-europe.com/ • https://brazil.arcweb-europe.com/br • https://www.arcweb-europe.com/ • https://www.arcweb.com/events/arc-industry-leadership-forum-brazil • https://www.arcweb.com/industry-best-practices/brazils-industry-dawn-new-era Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, leave a review and share it with your network! Furthermore, you can subscribe to ARCwire Industry Newsletter at: https://www.arcweb.com/about/newsletters Hosts: Stefan Miksch, Florian Güldner Produced by: ikone productions More episodes at: • Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/37B9kNLc6MyH3oWQNN0wVL?si=a598076ac6a14b3e) • Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/tt/podcast/industry-talks-by-arc-advisory-group/id1848323518) • Youtube (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRvAuS1b455RfGRBtnQI_-ePTItfIfi3F&si=FMMlpaZiZrp1rssE)