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Optical Sorter Market

Optical Sorter Market

The market for Optical Sorter was estimated at $2.15 billion in 2024; it is anticipated to increase to $3.4 billion by 2030, with projections indicating growth to around $5.1 billion by 2035.

Report ID:DS1401150
Author:Swarup Sahu - Senior Consultant
Published Date:April 2025
Datatree
Industrial Tools & Machinery
Production Tools & Equipment
Optical Sorter
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Report Summary
Table of Contents
Methodology
Market Data

Global Optical Sorter Market Outlook

Revenue, 2024 (US$B)

$2.1B

Forecast, 2034 (US$B)

$4.7B

CAGR, 2024 - 2034

8.1%
The Optical Sorter industry revenue is expected to be around $2.3 billion in 2025 and expected to showcase growth with 8.1% CAGR between 2025 and 2034. This promising trajectory in the Optical Sorter market is underpinned by several compelling drivers. Increasing automation in various industrial sectors, especially in food processing and waste management, is propelling the demand for efficient and intelligent sorting solutions like Optical Sorters. These machines, employing cutting-edge technology, are seen as a sustainable solution to ensure improved productivity and cost-effectiveness, all while ensuring adherence to strict quality control and environmental standards that industries are becoming increasingly sensitive to. The need for reducing human error and optimizing process efficiency in sorting operations is also giving a significant push to the adoption of Optical Sorters across diverse sectors. The simultaneous demand for technological innovation and sustainable practices in multiple industries marks the ongoing relevance of Optical Sorter in this dynamic market landscape.

An Optical Sorter is a of machine that employs advanced optics and sensor-based technologies to sort different materials based on their visual properties. This technology is pivotal in various industrial domains and applications. For instance, it is widely used in food processing industries to separate food items by color, size, and shape.

optical sorter market outlook with forecast trends, drivers, opportunities, supply chain, and competition 2024-2034

Market Key Insights

  • The Optical Sorter market is projected to grow from $2.1 billion in 2024 to $4.7 billion in 2034. This represents a CAGR of 8.1%, reflecting rising demand across Food Sorting, Waste Management and Mining Operations.
  • TOMRA, Buhler Group, Key Technology are among the leading players in this market, shaping its competitive landscape.
  • U.S. and China are the top markets within the Optical Sorter market and are expected to observe the growth CAGR of 5.9% to 8.5% between 2024 and 2030.
  • Emerging markets including Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa are expected to observe highest growth with CAGR ranging between 7.8% to 10.1%.
  • Transition like Advanced Automation Impact is expected to add $400.0 million to the Optical Sorter market growth by 2030
  • The Optical Sorter market is set to add $2.5 billion between 2024 and 2034, with manufacturer targeting Waste Recycling & Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Application projected to gain a larger market share.
  • With The emergence of automation, and Increasing adoption in the recycling industry, Optical Sorter market to expand 118% between 2024 and 2034.
optical sorter market size with pie charts of major and emerging country share, CAGR, trends for 2025 and 2032

Opportunities in the Optical Sorter

The optical sorter market is also ripe for strategic collaborations. Original equipment manufacturers and technology firms can work together to create integrated solutions, melding expertise in hardware and software development. These collaborations would yield sorting systems with enhanced capabilities, setting a new benchmark for the industry.

Growth Opportunities in North America and Asia-Pacific

North America Outlook

In North America, the optical sorter market is thriving due to high utilization in various industries, including food processing, waste treatment, and mining. The drive for efficiency and automation is a key propeller of growth in this region. Advanced predictive maintenance technologies integrated into modern optical sorters are creating top opportunities here. The competition is intense, with globally recognized players such as TOMRA and MSS, Inc. leading the industry. The rising sophistication of recycling procedures and growing environmental consciousness have become significant drivers in the market, fuelling the adoption of optical sorters.

Asia-Pacific Outlook

The Asia-Pacific region shows promising prospects in the adoption of optical sorters. The regions exponential growth can be attributed to increasing investment in industrial waste management and a surge in the food processing sector. Significant opportunities lie in the upgrading and replacement of outdated sorting technologies with advanced optical sorters. Comprehensive brand giants like Buhler and Satake are dominant in this region, offering stiff competition. The compelling drive in this market is the regions robust manufacturing sectors and stringent government regulations regarding waste management, triggering the need for precise sorting technologies.

Market Dynamics and Supply Chain

01

Driver: The Emergence of Automation, and Advancements in Hyperspectral Imaging

The increasing dependency on efficient systems has also placed automation at the forefront of many industries, including those operating within the optical sorter domain. The incorporation of this trending technology is also perceived to enhance sorting accuracy and bring forth effective product segregation capabilities, significantly driving market growth for optical sorters that are also specifically designed for automation. The continuous advancements in hyperspectral imaging technology have also fortified its utility in optical sorter systems. Optical sorters innovatively equipped with this advanced imaging technology can also segregate materials more accurately, making them indispensable for industries that require high precision sorting like in the field of agriculture and food & beverages industry.
The recyclingindustry'sgrowing commitment to attaining sustainable solutions has also boosted the adoption of optical sorter technology. Such sorting machines, particularly those fabricated for comprehensive material recognition, are also expected to see an upswing in demand due to their ability to precisely sort objects based on color, shape and size while contributing to waste reduction.
02

Restraint: High Initial Investment

The deployment of optical sorters involves significant initial investment, and thus, is potentially a major market.The high costs are attributed to factors like leading-edge technology, customized machinery, and software involved in the production of optical sorters. This large upfront investment may deter small and mid-sized companies from implementing optical sorting technology, thereby negatively impacting the market demand for optical sorters. Moreover, the additional costs associated with maintenance and specialized training for the operation of these machines can also deter potential buyers.
03

Opportunity: Technological Innovation and Evolving Consumer Needs

As we swim in the era of Industry 4.0, the potential for technological innovation within the optical sorter market becomes evident. Advances in AI and ML technologies have paved the way for the development of highly efficient and precise sorting systems. These advancements promise to increase production capacity and reduce sorting errors, directly benefiting businesses in industries such as food & agriculture, recycling, and mining.
Consumer demands are continually evolving, pushing industries towards sustainable practices. In light of this trend, industries such as food and recycling can significantly benefit from optical sorting systems. Optical sorter systems can reduce waste, contribute to sustainability, and meet customer expectations for eco-friendly practices, resulting in massive growth opportunities in the market.
04

Challenge: Limited Efficacy with Complex Materials

Another challenge the optical sorter market faces is the limited sorting efficiency with complex and mixed materials. While optical sorter technology has evolved tremendously, it is still inherently limited in its ability to accurately identify and sort a wide variety of materials. This is due to the sorters reliance on color and optical properties which may not only always be characteristic of the material.

Supply Chain Landscape

1
Component Production

Keyence Corporation

Panasonic Corporation

2
Device Assembly

Bhler Group

TOMRA

3
Distribution & Retail

Duravant

Pellenc ST

4
End Users

Food and Beverages

Waste Recycling

Pharmaceutical

*The illustration highlights the key stakeholders within the supply chain ecosystem.

Applications of Optical Sorter in Food Sorting, Waste Management & Mining Operations

Food Sorting

The application of optical sorters in the food industry has seen a considerable increase due to its efficiency in detecting and removing foreign material. It predominantly employs a colour optical sorter that ensures high-quality yield by classifying raw foodstuffs based on colour variations. Top players like Buhler and TOMRA excel in providing highly efficient optical sorters for this purpose, establishing their strong market position.

Waste Management

Another prominent application of optical sorters is within waste management. Here, the use of NIR optical sorters is widespread as it recovers recyclables and separates differents of waste materials efficiently based on their spectral properties. Waste kings like Machinex and MSS, Inc. dominate this application region with their advanced, cutting-edge optical sorters.

Mining Operations

Optical sorters have found substantial use in the mining industry. Laser optical sorters are the most favored as they sort mined materials based on atomic composition and density, contributing to higher quality yield, and conserving resources. Prominent industry players like STEINERT and OreSort Solutions are renowned for their robust and reliable optical sorters that optimize mining operations.

Recent Developments

December 2024

Tomra Sorting Solutions introduced a highly efficient and technologically advanced Optical Sorter model, enhancing performance in waste management systems

October 2024

Key Technology released an AI-based Optical Sorter model that can identify and sort an extended range of materials with high precision to optimize recycling processes

August 2024

Buhler AG announced a partnership with Microsoft to integrate IOT in their Optical Sorters, aiming at amplifying the production efficiency and automation capabilities.

The Optical Sorter sector experienced significant advancements, reflecting a growth pattern that signifies theindustry'sprogressive evolution. Embracing cutting-edge technologies, industry players are developing innovative solutions to ensure precise sorting procedures, laying the groundwork for increased efficiency and productivity. Notably, automation is driving rapid growth in the Optical Sorting industry.

Impact of Industry Transitions on the Optical Sorter Market

As a core segment of the Production Tools & Equipment industry, the Optical Sorter market develops in line with broader industry shifts. Over recent years, transitions such as Advanced Automation Impact and Transition Towards Sustainability have redefined priorities across the Production Tools & Equipment sector, influencing how the Optical Sorter market evolves in terms of demand, applications and competitive dynamics. These transitions highlight the structural changes shaping long-term growth opportunities.
01

Advanced Automation Impact

The incorporation of advanced automation is undoubtedly one of the most significant transitions in the Optical Sorter industry. The application of automated systems, primarily driven by AI and ML , has significantly accelerated sorting processes while minimizing human intervention. Custombuilt software algorithms and intelligent sorters enable high level preciseness, thereby reducing product waste and increasing productivity. Furthermore, automated Optical Sorters can handle higher capacities and offer data insights into a companys operations, which can optimize efficiency and drive strategic decisionmaking processes. This industry transition is expected to add $400 million in the industry revenue between 2024 and 2030.
02

Transition Towards Sustainability

A more recent yet equally transformative industrial transition has been the shift towards environmental sustainability. There is a rising pressure from regulatory bodies and consumers for industries to reduce waste and promote recycling, and Optical Sorters are playing a pivotal role in supporting these objectives. Optical Sorters with spectral imaging facilities can distinguish between different materials, shapes, sizes, and colors of waste, aiding in efficient waste segregation and recycling processes.

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