ABB vs Rockwell Automation
Side-by-side comparison of AI visibility scores, market position, and capabilities
Zurich industrial automation (NYSE: ABB) at $2.3B robotics revenue divesting to SoftBank for $5.375B (closing mid-to-late 2026); 140+ year history refocusing on electrification and motion control competing with Siemens for industrial automation.
About
ABB Ltd is a Zurich, Switzerland-headquartered industrial technology company — publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ABB) and SIX Swiss Exchange — providing electrification, motion control, process automation, and (pending divestiture) robotics solutions to utilities, industrial manufacturers, transportation, and infrastructure operators globally with approximately 110,000 employees. Formed in 1988 through the merger of Sweden's ASEA (founded 1883, launched the IRB 6 industrial robot in 1974) and Switzerland's Brown Boveri (founded 1891), ABB is undergoing a major strategic transformation: in 2025, ABB announced the divestiture of its ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation division (2024 revenue $2.3 billion, ~7,000 employees) to SoftBank Group Corp. for $5.375 billion, with the transaction expected to close mid-to-late 2026 — separating the robotics business to focus ABB on core electrification and motion segments.
$8.3B revenue FY2024 (-8.8% YoY); Q3 FY2025 $2,144M (+5% YoY recovery); Total ARR +16% FY2024, +7% Q3 FY2025; North America best-performing market; industrial automation leader
About
Rockwell Automation is the world's largest company dedicated solely to industrial automation and digital transformation, founded in 1903 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company's mission is to expand human possibility by connecting people's ingenuity with the potential of technology to build a more productive and sustainable world. Its core technology portfolio spans programmable logic controllers (PLCs), industrial networking, motion control, and safety systems that form the backbone of manufacturing operations globally.\n\nRockwell's product and software platform — marketed under the Logix, FactoryTalk, and Plex brands — covers everything from discrete and process automation hardware to cloud-based MES, ERP, and AI-driven analytics for smart manufacturing. The Plex acquisition brought cloud-native manufacturing execution and ERP capabilities into the portfolio, expanding Rockwell's appeal to mid-market manufacturers. Annual recurring revenue (ARR) grew 16% in FY2024, reflecting strong adoption of its software and subscription offerings across the installed base.\n\nRockwell reported $8.3 billion in revenue for FY2024 and showed 5% year-over-year recovery in Q3 FY2025 after inventory correction headwinds in prior periods. North America remains its strongest and most profitable market. The company is investing heavily in industrial AI and edge computing to capitalize on the fourth industrial revolution, competing with Siemens, ABB, and Honeywell. Its dominant North American installed base and deep customer switching costs provide significant pricing power and long-term revenue visibility.
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