In the field of industrial automation, there are many century-old veteran companies. 

Recently, Fortune magazine published a new ranking list of the world's top 500, and this article picks out the top 10 industrial automation companies from the list.

1. General Electric Company

Total revenue: $140,389 million

General Electric has become the world's largest multinational company providing technology and service businesses, having acquired many domestic and foreign companies in various ways. GE has diversified into businesses ranging from aircraft engines and power generation equipment to financial services, and from medical imaging and television programming to plastics.

In 2013, GE's Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt introduced the concept of the "Industrial Internet," an open, global network that connects people, data and machines, and through big data analysis, identifies the energy consumption of machines and improves the operational efficiency of equipment.

In April 2015, General Electric (GE), together with AT&T, Cisco, IBM and Intel, announced the formation of the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), and GE also made a commitment to open its Industrial Internet software platform, Predix, to all companies.

2. SIEMENS

Total revenue: $87,660 million

Siemens AG is a global leader in electrical and electronic engineering. 2014 saw Siemens sell its stake in Boise Home Appliances and completely exit the home appliance sector to focus on electrification, automation and digitalization. Siemens digital enterprise solutions cover industrial software, industrial communications, industrial information security, and data-based services.

Siemens' main products include, programmable logic controllers (PLC), industrial computers (IPC) and industrial operator panels (HMI), industrial software, CNC machines, low-voltage appliances, touch screens, etc. The nine businesses are Power Generation and Gas, Wind Power and Renewable Energy, Energy Management, Building Technology, Transportation, Digital Factory, Process Industry and Drives, Healthcare and Financial Services. Digitalization is one of the top three future directions of Siemens, and Siemens regards digitalization as a major growth area in the future, setting a target profit margin of 14%-20% for digital factory.

In order to strengthen the strength of digitalization, Siemens acquired CD-adapco, a global engineering simulation software developer. Siemens digital technology helps companies to optimize, simulate and test in a virtual environment before actually going into production, and to optimize the entire enterprise process simultaneously during production, ultimately creating efficient and flexible production, achieving rapid innovation to market, and forging lasting competitiveness.

3. Hitachi

Total revenue: $83,583.50 million

Hitachi is one of the world's largest multinational conglomerates in Japan, consisting of numerous business divisions and companies, and possessing many technologies, products and solution technologies. At present, Hitachi has more than 100 group companies in China, and its members are active in the fields of electric power and electrical equipment, electronic equipment, household appliances, and information and communication. We are committed to creating a low-carbon society and a green economy by fusing our strengths in two major areas: information and communication systems, power systems, environmental, industrial and transportation systems, and social and urban systems.

4. Bosch

Total revenue: $78,322.70 million

Bosch is one of Germany's largest industrial companies, operating in the fields of automotive technology, industrial technology, and consumer and building technology. Bosch is known worldwide for its innovative and cutting-edge products and system solutions.

The Bosch Group is a key initiator of Germany's Industry 4.0 strategy and is uniquely positioned in the Industry 4.0 sector. The Bosch Rexroth hydraulic valve production line in Humboldt, Germany, was awarded the "Industry 4.0 Award" by a leading German industry magazine for the optimal interconnection of people, machines, objects and IT systems. The line is capable of producing 2,000 different products in six product families with zero changeover, and can be customized to produce small batches or even a single product, increasing productivity by 10% while reducing inventory by 30%.

5. Panasonic Group

Total revenue: 62,920.80 million USD

The Panasonic Group is a global electronics manufacturer engaged in the production and sale of various electrical products. 1978, Chinese leaders visited the Panasonic Group's Japanese television factory. During the meeting between the two sides, the founder, Konosuke Matsushita, expressed his determination to contribute to China. Subsequently, the Panasonic Group entered the beginning of its China business. Throughout these years, the Group has been committed to exporting products and technical cooperation to Chinese factories, and established its first joint venture factory in 1987. As of today, the business activities of the Panasonic Group in China involve research and development, manufacturing, sales, service, logistics, and promotion.

Panasonic's products in the field of industrial automation involve relays, connectors, sensors for machines, switches, programmable controllers, programmable intelligent operation panels, image processing devices, UV hardening devices, etc.

6. Honeywell International

Total revenue: $38,581 million

Honeywell International, Inc. was founded in 1999 through the merger of two formerly world-renowned companies, UMC and Honeywell, Inc. Honeywell's core businesses were residential and building control technologies and industrial control and automation products; its core businesses were aerospace, automotive and engineered materials. Today, Honeywell is involved in aerospace products and services; residential and building control and industrial control technologies; automation products; specialty chemicals, fibers, plastics, electronics and advanced materials; and transportation and power systems and products.

7. Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Total revenue: $36,604 million

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is a leading global manufacturer of electronic and electrical products, always dedicated to the research, development and manufacture of cutting-edge technologies and specialized fields. It is mainly engaged in the business of information and communication systems, electronic components, heavy electric systems, industrial automation systems, automotive electrical equipment and household appliances, and is a world leader in the fields of satellites, defense systems and ventilation equipment. In addition, Mitsubishi Electric has excellent display equipment and display device technology. Mitsubishi Electric's business scope covers industrial automation (FA) products and mechatronics (Mechtronics) products.

8. ABB Group, Switzerland

Total revenue: US$35,481.00 million

Founded in 1988 as a result of the merger of ASEA (Sweden) and BBCBrownBoveri (Switzerland), ABB is a global leader in power and automation technologies, providing solutions to customers in the industrial and power industries, and is an electrical engineering group with a global presence.

ABB has invented and manufactured numerous products and technologies, including the world's first three-phase power transmission system, the world's first self-cooling transformer, high-voltage DC transmission technology and the first electric industrial robot, and was the first to put them into commercial use. ABB has a wide range of product lines, including a full range of power transformers and distribution transformers, high, medium and low-voltage switchgear products, AC and DC transmission and distribution systems ABB has a wide range of products, including a full range of power transformers and distribution transformers, high, medium and low voltage switchgear products, AC and DC power transmission and distribution systems, power automation systems, various measurement devices and sensors, real-time control and optimization systems, robot hardware and software and simulation systems, energy efficient motors and drive systems, power quality, conversion and synchronization systems, and fusing and switching devices for power system safety. These products have been widely used in industrial, commercial, power and utility applications.

9. Schneider Electric

Total revenue: $29,551.10 million

Founded in 1836 and headquartered in Lure, France, Schneider Electric is a global leader in energy efficiency management. Schneider Electric provides total solutions for the energy and infrastructure, industrial, data center and networking, buildings and residential markets in more than 100 countries, with world-leading positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial process control, building automation and data center and networking, and strong market capabilities in residential applications.

10. Emerson Electric

Total Revenue: $22,304 million

Emerson was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Emerson is a global leader in technology and engineering, providing innovative solutions to customers in the industrial automation; process control; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; electronics and telecommunications; and appliance and tools business segments.

Emerson Process Controls, a division of Emerson, remains a leader in helping to automate production, process control and transmission and distribution in the chemical, oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, power, water and wastewater treatment, mining and metallurgy, food and beverage, life sciences and other industries.