Top 100 Global Manufacturing Companies

Key Findings

USD6.7 trillion in revenue, 2017

Top 100 manufacturers generated combined revenue of USD6.7 trillion, accounting for 14% of global manufacturing output in 2017. The share of revenue declined by three percentage points from 2010 due to emergence of smaller suppliers across manufacturing chain.

Automotive and hi-tech goods industries dominate

Out of 100 leading manufacturers, 44 companies were primarily engaged in production of automotive products or hi-tech goods. Growing global demand for aforementioned products helped the companies to augment revenue at faster rate in comparison to other manufacturing sectors.

Developed nations in the lead, yet emerging markets are catching up

USA and Japan are the leading nations in terms of number of companies making into Top 100 rank. Strong domestic B2B demand, efficient production process and R&D capabilities secured the positions of American and Japanese companies. Nevertheless, emerging markets, with China at the front, are catching up. Faster economic growth and gradually expanding B2B demand drives expansion of manufacturers in emerging markets.

Companies are diversifying into higher value sectors

Manufacturers, particularly in developed countries, are increasingly diversifying their scope of activities and product portfolios. Higher value added sectors, such as automotive, aerospace or electronics are particularly attractive thanks to higher profit margins and the ability to absorb higher production costs.

Mergers and Acquisitions are important for growth

Companies are finding increasingly difficult to grow organically due to saturated demand in the developed markets and growing competition. M&A’s help the companies to expand into new markets and augment revenue.