European machine vision expects slight recovery and growth in 2026
According to the VDMA Machine Vision department, sales are expected to increase by around 3 percent, following a decline of 2 percent in 2025
After three years of declining sales, the European machine vision industry is expecting a turnaround in 2026. According to the VDMA Machine Vision department, sales are expected to increase by around 3%, following a decline of 2% in 2025. The main reason for the weakness was the reluctance to invest in Europe, exacerbated by geopolitical tensions and a weak economic environment, particularly in Germany.
The regional picture is varied: While the European sales market declined by 6 percent in 2025, sales in North America increased by 9 percent and in Asia by 3 percent. Component manufacturers already benefited from rising demand in 2025 and achieved sales growth of 4%, while machine vision systems suffered a decline of 6%.
The long-term outlook remains positive. In conjunction with robotics and AI, machine vision is regarded as a key technology for smart production, automation and quality assurance - increasingly also outside of traditional factory environments. The industry is expecting a high level of trade interest in Vision 2026.
