Polish industry is seeking to reduce energy costs and invest in energy efficiency, according to the ABB Trends 2026/2027 report. Spending on the modernisation of power infrastructure, automation and cybersecurity is also becoming increasingly important. However, investment in technology is being constrained by limited budgets and skills shortages.
“When it comes to the digitalisation of Polish industry, artificial intelligence is discussed a great deal. Yet in our survey, only 6% of industrial respondents said they had implemented AI-based solutions. Just over 20% are developing pilots and testing the technology. On the other hand, it is worrying that 25% of companies currently have no plans to implement artificial intelligence in their production processes,” Maksymilian Pawłowski, Corporate Communications Director at ABB in Poland, told Newseria.
The ABB survey, conducted among 145 respondents representing Polish industry, shows that actual use of other advanced technologies that enable companies to move from simple process monitoring to automation also remains limited. For example, digital twins are used by 7% of companies, while robots and cobots are deployed by 13%.
“Only a relatively small proportion of industrial companies are currently investing in AI-related technologies. Growth in investment in this area is necessary,” says Stanisław Tański, President of ABB Sp. z o.o.
At the same time, as manufacturing becomes increasingly digitalised, cyber protection is gaining importance. ABB’s report shows that more than one-third of companies have experienced a cybersecurity-related incident. This is translating into growing investment in securing production systems and data.
“Polish companies have a positive attitude towards investment in digitalisation and energy efficiency, recognising that these measures will help them build competitiveness both in Poland and on European markets,” Pawłowski says.
Budgets, bureaucracy and uncertainty over returns
However, budget constraints remain the main investment barrier for businesses, cited by 50% of respondents. Regulatory and formal requirements are also a challenge, mentioned by 41%. Organisational factors matter as well: procedures and decision-making processes are an obstacle for almost 30% of companies.
These factors may contribute to the slower pace of transformation across Polish industry.
“According to our report, the fundamental investment barriers affecting company development are primarily limited budgets, which is not surprising in itself. The next factor is complex decision-making processes and bureaucracy, followed by uncertainty about ROI, or the return on a given investment,” says ABB’s Corporate Communications Director in Poland. “The fourth element, which surprised us greatly, is staffing and competency shortages related to the ability to lead the transformation strategy of Polish industry.”
In the survey, 90% of respondents said they had difficulties attracting and retaining technical staff. This means that only one company in ten does not experience shortages in this area. For almost half of businesses, the issue is now a significant or even critical challenge to continued operations, affecting their ability to modernise.
The problem is therefore no longer purely an HR issue.
The hardest specialists to recruit are those in automation, IT and OT systems integration, and industrial cybersecurity. The report’s authors assess that, as automation and digitalisation advance, companies will increasingly feel the shortage of specialists responsible for systems integration, infrastructure maintenance and the security of manufacturing processes.
Infrastructure and geopolitical risks add to the pressure
Among the other challenges related to industrial transformation, companies surveyed by ABB also point to technical and geopolitical barriers. Some 30% highlight infrastructure reliability risks, which increase the likelihood of downtime and unplanned repair costs. A further 27% cite supply-chain instability, leading to uncertainty over component delivery times and prices.
At the same time, companies see opportunities to accelerate transformation in the availability of European cohesion funds, the trend towards bringing production closer to Europe, and continued digitalisation.
The report suggests that Polish industry recognises the direction it needs to take: towards greater energy efficiency, modern infrastructure, automation and cyber resilience. The main challenge is no longer a lack of awareness, but the ability to secure funding, streamline decision-making and develop the technical competencies needed to turn plans into lasting industrial progress.
