Understand how digitalization and new market demands are reshaping the competitive landscape and generating value for companies across various segments.
May 20, 2025 - By Marco Medeiros (Commercial Manager at Vetta) & Isabella Paiva (Mkt Analist)
If you lead operations, technology, or innovation in sectors like energy, mining, manufacturing, or utilities, understanding the current moment in Latin America is essential. The scenario is rapidly changing, and those who invest in the right decisions now can reach a new level of competitiveness.
The region is undergoing a significant economic and technological transformation: industrial companies and governments are seeking greater efficiency, sustainability, and innovation to face market pressures, environmental demands, and changes in consumption patterns. In this context, digitalization has ceased to be a future trend and has become a key differentiator for results.
This article provides a strategic reading of the current industrial landscape in Latin America: what's moving, what still limits progress, and where the best opportunities lie to modernize processes, integrate data, and gain scale with the support of technology.
The New Map of Industrial Opportunities in Latin America
In 2023, Latin America and the Caribbean saw US$184.3 billion in foreign direct investment, about 14% of the global total. Despite a slight retraction from the previous year, the volume remained above the average of the last decade. This shows that, even in the face of political and economic challenges, the region remains a priority for global investors.
These resources are concentrated in sectors with high demand for productivity and innovation. Manufacturing grew by 9% and natural resources by 16%. Countries like Argentina and Chile stood out, with increases of 57% and 19% in foreign capital flow, respectively.
The steel and metallurgical industries are undergoing a significant innovation process towards sustainability and energy efficiency, driven by regulatory, economic, and social pressures. Some changes are already present in the daily operations of these companies, such as the use of green hydrogen, the increasing use of electric arc furnaces (which use metallic scrap and are energy efficient), market demands for traceability and certifications, as well as the use of digitalization and artificial intelligence.
In this sense, the message is clear: there is capital, an innovation environment, and pressure for efficiency. The regional industry needs to react, and technology plays a central role in this response.
What's Driving Industrial Transformation?
Four movements help explain why the Latin American industry is in a phase of reinvention:
These changes are not just trends; they are vectors shaping investment decisions in technology, automation, and data analysis throughout the industrial chain.
Barriers Still Limiting Digital Progress in the Region
Despite the promising scenario, industrial digitalization in Latin America still faces significant barriers:
Overcoming these challenges depends on planning and choosing partners with international experience in adapting technology to local realities.
Growing with Intelligence: Digital Solutions that Deliver Value
Digitalization is no longer a future project. Today, it already delivers real impact in critical areas of industrial operations. Companies operating in the energy, mining, manufacturing, and utilities sectors can:
Vetta supports industrial companies worldwide with tailor-made digital solutions that integrate systems, optimize processes, and accelerate operational gains. As part of SMS group, we integrate a global ecosystem of industrial technology with a presence in over 50 countries and decades of experience in engineering, automation, and digital transformation.
This foundation allows us to deliver cutting-edge technology, adapted to the context of the Latin American industry, with technical depth, scalability, and execution speed. Learn about our success stories and see how we help our partners build the future of industry, today.
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