MES system: What is it? Key features? Market players? Why do you need it? What's the difference with ERP?

Anni HuangAnni Huang
6 min read

What's MES

Today’s MES is all about taking control of your production and syncing up the top floor with the plant floor. As the heartbeat of any manufacturing operation, an MES application consists of three basic elements:

A comprehensive MES system typically includes:

  1. Production Planning & Scheduling
  2. Work Order Management
  3. Quality Management
  4. Inventory & Material Management
  5. Equipment Management & Maintenance
  6. Real-time Production Monitoring
  7. Performance Analytics & Reporting
  8. Traceability & Genealogy
  9. Labor Management
  10. Document Management

MES Competitors Comparison

Tier 1 - Market Leaders

CompanyCountryKey MES ProductPrimary StrengthsTarget IndustriesMarket PositionKey Differentiators
Siemens AGGermanyMindSphere, SIMATICComprehensive automation portfolio, strong R&D, European market dominanceAutomotive, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, discrete manufacturingMarket LeaderTIA Portal integration, digital twin technology, extensive automation ecosystem
Rockwell AutomationUSFactoryTalk ProductionCentre, Plex PlatformNorth American market dominance, cloud-based solutionsAutomotive, food & beverage, electronics, oil & gasMarket LeaderStrong NA presence, FactoryTalk ecosystem, cloud-first approach
SAPGermanySAP Manufacturing Execution (SAP ME)ERP integration, enterprise software expertiseChemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, process industriesMarket LeaderSeamless ERP integration, enterprise-wide data consistency
GE DigitalUSProficy Smart Factory MESIndustrial heritage, digital transformation focusPower generation, oil & gas, manufacturingStrong PlayerPredix platform integration, industrial domain expertise

Tier 2 - Strong Regional/Specialized Players

CompanyCountryKey MES ProductPrimary StrengthsTarget IndustriesMarket PositionKey Differentiators
ABBSwitzerlandManufacturing Operations Management (MOM), ABB Ability™Robotics integration, power systems expertiseEnergy, automotive, mining, utilitiesStrong RegionalRobotics integration, power grid solutions, industrial software
Schneider ElectricFranceEcoStruxure platformEnergy management, sustainability focusBuilding automation, data centers, utilitiesStrong RegionalEnergy efficiency focus, sustainability solutions, smart buildings
Honeywell InternationalUSHoneywell MESProcess industries expertise, safety focusOil & gas, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospaceSpecializedSafety systems integration, process optimization, regulatory compliance
Dassault SystèmesFranceDELMIA Apriso (3DEXPERIENCE)3D design integration, PLM expertiseAerospace, automotive, life sciences, transportationSpecialized3D visualization, PLM integration, digital continuity

Tier 3 - Specialized/Emerging Players

CompanyCountryKey MES ProductPrimary StrengthsTarget IndustriesMarket PositionKey Differentiators
Critical ManufacturingPortugalCritical Manufacturing MESSemiconductor specialization, compliance focusSemiconductor, electronics, high-techNiche LeaderSemiconductor expertise, advanced traceability, compliance automation
Parsec AutomationUSTrakSYSReal-time performance, OEE focusDiscrete manufacturing, automotive, aerospaceSpecializedReal-time analytics, performance optimization, OEE tracking
Werum (Körber)GermanyPAS-X MES SuitePharmaceutical specialization, regulatory compliancePharmaceuticals, biotechnology, life sciencesNiche LeaderPharma 4.0, serialization, regulatory compliance automation
Applied MaterialsUSApplied SmartFactorySemiconductor manufacturing focusSemiconductor, display, solarSpecializedSemiconductor equipment integration, yield optimization
ApteanUSAptean MESIndustry-specific solutionsFood & beverage, chemicals, automotiveMid-tierIndustry-specific functionality, compliance focus
iTAC SoftwareGermanyiTAC.MOM.SuiteAutomotive focus, traceabilityAutomotive, electronics, medical devicesSpecializedAutomotive expertise, advanced traceability, quality management

Market Analysis Summary

Market Share Distribution

  • Tier 1 Players: Control ~60% of global MES market
  • Tier 2 Players: Hold ~25% market share
  • Tier 3 Players: Represent ~15% with specialized solutions

Regional Strengths

  • North America: Rockwell Automation, GE Digital, Honeywell
  • Europe: Siemens, SAP, Schneider Electric, Dassault Systèmes
  • Global: All Tier 1 players have worldwide presence
  • Emerging Markets: Increasing competition from local providers
  • IoT Integration: All major players investing heavily
  • Cloud-Based Solutions: Rockwell leading, others following
  • AI/ML Integration: Emerging across all tiers
  • Digital Twin: Siemens and Dassault leading
  • Industry 4.0: Core focus for all major competitors

Competitive Dynamics

  • Consolidation: Ongoing M&A activity (e.g., Körber acquiring Werum)
  • Partnerships: Strategic alliances for complete solutions
  • Specialization: Tier 3 players focusing on specific industries
  • Platform Strategy: Movement toward comprehensive platforms vs. point solutions

Do I need it? What're the benefits MES can bring in?

Yes, if you want to connect, manage, validate and optimize your production. A comprehensive MES — which can be purchased as a single-plant, multi-plant or industry-specific solution — can help you meet a range of productivity, quality, compliance and cost-saving goals.

You can benefit from improved:

  • Knowledge and recipe management
  • Quality assurance
  • Business rule enforcement
  • WIP tracking and genealogy
  • Performance management
  • Material tracking

MES vs ERP Capabilities Comparison

What can a MES do?What can an ERP do?
Automate production orchestration through AI-based process control and Optimize maintenance protocols with intelligent asset monitoring & predictive maintenance solutionsTell you how much of which materials you need to complete an order, and when that order needs to leave your plant
Connect supply chain to the factory floor with automatic order download and executionHelp you collect production data

Do I Need an MES if I Have an ERP?

Yes. MES occupies a special place in your information infrastructure – between your shop floor controls and enterprise systems. Think of an MES like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) for the shop floor – but more. As the bridge between Information Technology (IT) and Operations Technology (OT), it provides enterprise visibility to actual production results and control systems with a real-time view of what the enterprise needs from production to meet business goals, including work instructions, recipes, and other crucial information.

Answer the questions below to know if you need MES or ERP?

RequirementSolution
I need to collect and consolidate IT and OT from existing equipment and systems.You can go deeper in the numbers without investing in MES. A combination of FactoryTalk® InnovationSuite Analytics and IIoT software offers edge-to-enterprise analytics, machine learning, IIoT and augmented reality to industrial operations. You can start with ERP.
I need reports every week.ERP typically records transactional data and reports it at intervals (daily, weekly or monthly). This is fine for financial and relational transactions but insufficient for manufacturing management who need information in real time.
I need to see the flow of information for job management, scheduling, quality assurance, and material management.You need an MES for online, real-time views of the latest scheduling priorities to eliminate inaccurate and time-consuming manual data collection; configure and customize reports and provide different users with the information they need.
I need to coordinate production scheduling and machine maintenance.MES offers increased visibility to data and automated processes that improve quality, increase efficiency and improve productivity. MES can help shift work to other machines and alter the production plan to keep work flowing and better manage resources – human and machine.
0
Subscribe to my newsletter

Read articles from Anni Huang directly inside your inbox. Subscribe to the newsletter, and don't miss out.

Written by

Anni Huang
Anni Huang

I am Anni HUANG, a software engineer with 3 years of experience in IDE development and Chatbot.