Research in industrial automation in the drinks manufacturing sector has risen in the three months to the end of April, analysis of patents data suggests.

During the period, 16 patent applications were lodged, up from 13 a year earlier, the London-based data and analytics group said.

Figures for patents granted related to industrial automation followed a different pattern to applications – shrinking from 19 in the three months ending April 2021 to 11 in the same period in 2022.

The figures are compiled by GlobalData, which tracks patent filings and grants from authorised offices around the world. Using textual analysis, as well as official patent classifications, these patents are grouped into key thematic areas and linked to key companies across various industries.

Industrial automation is one of the key areas tracked by GlobalData. It has been identified as being a key disruptive force facing companies in the coming years and is one of the areas that companies investing resources in now are expected to reap rewards from.

PepsiCo Inc was the top industrial automation innovator in the drinks manufacturing sector in the latest quarter.

PepsiCo has recently ramped up R&D in industrial automation. It saw growth of 61.5% in related patent applications in the three months ending April compared to the same period in 2021 – the highest percentage growth out of all companies tracked with more than ten quarterly patents in the drinks manufacturing sector.