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Report 02 Feb 2026

Manufacturing - InSight Analysis - Netherlands

Dutch manufacturing experienced a cautious recovery in 2025, characterized by low single-digit growth and renewed investment in digital transformation. Manufacturing IT services are central to this rebound, driving cost savings, cloud transformation, and domain‑specific AI initiatives.

Manufacturers are transitioning toward stable, platform‑driven digital strategies. Targeted manufacturing IT services that combine governed cloud foundations, trusted AI, workflow automation, and robust cybersecurity will capture growth in 2026 as the sector prioritizes resilience, productivity, and sustainable competitiveness.

Overview

  • IT services growth rises from 2.3% in 2024 to 3.3% in 2025 and is forecast to reach 3.9% in 2026.
  • Manufacturing IT services support both application and infrastructure investments as firms prioritize efficiency and resilience.

AI & digital transformation

  • Companies favor domain‑specific AI, experimental agentic systems, funding models tied to proprietary data and operations.
  • Platform moves: standardized, governed cloud data foundations and IT‑OT convergence enable scalable analytics, digital twins, and industrial AI use cases.

Key challenges & priorities

1.     Talent shortages: ~81,000 open technical vacancies and weakening training pipelines; urgent need for skilled workforce and AI experts.

2.     Cost-saving transformations: widespread restructuring and productivity programs underpin demand for outsourced services.

3.     Cybersecurity & resilience: regulation and OT connectivity make cybersecurity business‑critical.

4.     ERP modernization & workflow automation: S/4HANA migrations, MES adjacencies, and shopfloor automation deliver measurable uptime and productivity gains.

Opportunities for providers

  • Deliver integrated manufacturing IT services: cloud data platforms, secure IT‑OT solutions, domain AI, ERP modernization, and managed security.
  • Focus on capability building and partnerships to bridge the talent gap and accelerate adoption.

 

Recommended advisory: PAC Leadership Session – Digital Business Models in the Manufacturing Industry

 

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Sidney Siegertsz

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