Significant growth in demand for pharmaceuticals, such as GLP-1s, increased R&D spending for autonomous manufacturing, and the increased presence of contract manufacturers globally are among the key factors attributing to growth in the pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment market.

Key areas for potential innovation include digital transformation leveraging AI and machine learning for predictive analytics, smart manufacturing systems for real-time quality control, and the development of flexible, scalable manufacturing solutions adapted to various production scales. 

According to ResearchAndMarkets’ “Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Equipment Market Forecast 2025-2030”, the market grew $15.1 billion in 2023 to $16.1 billion in 2024 and is expected to continue growing at a CAGR of 6.85%, reaching $24 billion by 2030. According to the report, this growth is influenced by technology advancements leading to automation, growing demand for generic and biosimilar drugs, and increasing R&D investments. Additionally, personalized medicine and stringent regulatory standards demanding high-quality manufacturing processes drive demand for sophisticated equipment, with opportunities in continuous manufacturing processes, biologics manufacturing equipment, and the integration of digital technologies to enhance precision and efficiency.

Contract Pharma spoke with leading players in the pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment space to discuss pharma/biopharma drivers impacting equipment today, key opportunities and advances, manufacturing challenges and the prevailing technology trends.

Key Drivers Impacting Manufacturing Equipment 

With the emergence of highly specialized therapies like advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), such as cell and gene therapies and CAR-T therapies, the manufacturing process has become increasingly complex, with specialized equipment playing a critical role in overcoming these challenges. Dr. Laura Moody, director of product management pharma, North America at Syntegon, said, “The industry is specializing steadily, with more and more pharmaceutical companies investing in the development and commercialization of small and even micro batches, which have their very own production and filling requirements and need appropriate containment solutions.”

With the FDA approving 50 new biologics in 2024 there’s clear momentum in developing complex therapies and manufacturers want to produce more product in smaller footprints, faster, according to Natraj Ram, vice president of innovation at Thermo Fisher Scientific. To achieve this, Ram notes they’re adopting intensification/integration of steps in the upstream and downstream processes—reducing the total number of steps, the physical footprint and time to market. “Automated systems and real-time process monitoring help reduce human errors and maintain product consistency. Advanced sensor technologies, including online analytics and PAT (Process Analytical Technology), enable proactive process control. Single-use systems offer flexibility and rapid setup, especially for multi-product or fast-changing pipelines,” Ram added.

While specialized biologics are growing, high-speed production lines for traditional drugs, such as blood thinners, painkillers, and insulin, remain central to the industry’s operations. These products typically involve 24/7 production and pharmaceutical manufactures rely on seamless systems from filling to medical device assembly, according to Moody of Syntegon. Additionally, the global trend towards anti-obesity drugs further emphasizes the need for rapid, efficient production.

Additionally, in oral solid dosage (OSD) production, the need for containment solutions is also rising steadily. “Continuous manufacturing is still being investigated by many companies who are considering the switch from batch processes to continuous manufacturing. This also applies to small batches,” Moody said.

Meanwhile, Frederick Murray, president of KORSCH America Inc., a provider of tablet press technology, added, “The producers of oral solid dosage forms continue to place an emphasis on improving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). Higher production speeds while maintaining product quality, high product yields, and minimizing downtime are the key drivers in the production setting, resulting in increasing demand for high-speed, fast-change, and flexible equipment platforms.”

Opportunities to Overcome Today’s Manufacturing Challenges 

The pharma and biopharmaceutical manufacturing sectors continue to face evolving manufacturing challenges while having to navigate a broad spectrum of production requirements. One of the biggest obstacles is ensuring that production facilities can meet stringent regulations and standards while delivering high production efficiency, contamination control, and rapid scaling.

Achieving higher yields and purity levels while managing contamination risks is essential, according to Ram of Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Unchecked inefficiencies can lead to regulatory scrutiny and delays in delivering treatments to patients. Moving from pilot scale to commercial production quickly—and doing so repeatedly for different molecules—remains a core challenge. Single-use systems, such as Thermo Scientific DynaDrive and Bioreactors HyPerforma Single-Use Bioreactors, help shorten scale-up timelines and ease changeovers,” said Ram.

With pharmaceutical manufacturers facing ever-higher cost and time pressures, they are looking for solutions that help them fulfill containment requirements and safeguard the highest product quality while reducing human intervention and energy consumption with efficient equipment. Moody said, “Automation offers great opportunities to reduce equipment footprints, increase product yields, and most importantly minimize contamination risks. By using automation and robotics, human intervention in barrier systems can be reduced to an absolute minimum or even eliminated. A switch to gloveless systems with robotics is already possible, for example, with Syntegon’s new Versynta microBatch.” 

OSD production has been slow to adopt fully automated systems for both cost and validation reasons according to Murray of KORSCH America. “However, as cost reduction efforts continue to gain emphasis, automated technology, which permits processes to be monitored remotely and with limited intervention, are available and being implemented. Continuous manufacturing technology is also slowly gaining favor for a limited number of products where the advantages of the technology can provide a suitable return on investment,” Murray said.

With respect to inspection machines, clients face increasing pressure to eliminate contamination risks, ensure compliance with evolving global regulations, and improve inspection efficiency across diverse product portfolios, according to Daniele Ansaldi, technical manager, inspection machines for Antares Vision Group, a supplier of inspection machinery and traceability platforms. “AI-powered automated inspection, container closure integrity testing (CCIT), and adaptable high-speed, multi-format systems address these challenges by enhancing precision, reducing human error, and maintaining sterility assurance,” said Ansaldi.

Additional opportunities lie in end-to-end solutions for biomanufacturers, as opposed to optimizing individual steps in isolation, according to Ram of Thermo Fisher Scientific. “By integrating equipment, cell lines, media and process development support, they can boost productivity and reduce overall costs. For example, integrating sensors (e.g., Raman, pH, and biomass probes) with smart software enables immediate adjustments, advancing Quality by Design (QbD) and lowering batch failures. Today’s equipment must integrate seamlessly into broader digital ecosystems, including MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) and data analytics platforms. Open-architecture controllers and modular designs expedite setup and tech transfer,” Ram added.

Technology Trends

In addition to automation, other key technology trends are transforming the pharmaceutical manufacturing landscape, including AI-powered systems to help optimize production, reduce downtime, and achieve regulatory compliance. 

Also, the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies, such as digital twins and predictive maintenance systems, are helping manufacturers optimize production and reduce downtime. As manufacturing equipment becomes more interconnected, it’s essential for systems to integrate seamlessly into broader digital networks, including MES and data analytics platforms. These technologies not only improve efficiency but can also contribute to sustainability efforts by reducing water and energy consumption.

According to Ram of Thermo Fisher Scientific, “Real-time monitoring across upstream and downstream workflows supports tighter control and faster decision-making. Regulators encourage PAT adoption but require clear validation strategies to ensure data integrity and process robustness. AI-driven insights based on multi-omics data are speeding up early process development. While promising, these approaches need greater explainability (“black box” concerns) to gain full regulatory acceptance.” 

While continuous and automated processes are poised to become industry norms, validating and demonstrating control of these integrated systems can be complex, Ram noted. “Regulators often want detailed risk assessments and well-documented data flows. As single-use adoption matures, regulators may raise the bar on extractables/leachables and overall sustainability. In response, vendors innovate to ensure materials meet stringent requirements while maintaining performance and reliability,” said Ram.

Regarding inspection systems, Ansaldi of Antares Vision Group, added, “Demand is rising for AI-powered vision systems that improve particle and cosmetic defect detection in fill-finish parenteral drugs and non-destructive methods like Vacuum Decay, HVLD, and HSGA. Evolving regulatory frameworks such as FDA and USP guidelines, track-and-trace mandates, and sustainability-driven requirements push manufacturers toward more sophisticated, compliant, and eco-friendly inspection solutions.”

As technology continues to advance and regulatory standards evolve, the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is facing a period of transformation. With a focus on automation, real-time monitoring, and flexible, scalable systems, manufacturers are better positioned to meet the growing demand for complex drug products while improving efficiency, product quality, and compliance. The future of pharmaceutical manufacturing lies in the integration of data-driven, sustainable technologies that streamline production processes and ensure high-quality outputs.

The latest developments in the field of small and micro batches pay tribute to another trend. The market for ready-to-use (RTU) containers has been growing rapidly for years. Pharmaceutical manufactures can benefit from simpler processing procedures, reduced total cost of ownership, and greater flexibility. Numerous steps, such as cleaning, siliconization, and sterilization of components, are outsourced to the packaging suppliers of RTU containers. They have the expertise and make sure that all processes are qualified and validated according to current global requirements. –Dr. Laura Moody, Director of Product Management Pharma North America, Syntegon