Optical Sorter Market by Offering (Feed System, Optical System, Image Processing, Separation System), Type (Cameras, NIR, Hyperspectral, XRT), Platform (Belt, Freefall, Lane), Application (Food & Beverages, Recycling) – Global Forecast to 2032

The optical sorter market is projected to grow from USD 3.06 billion in 2025 to USD 5.79 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 9.5%. The industry has experienced significant advancements in recent years. The increasing focus on automation enhances productivity in the recycling industry. As recycling facilities face growing pressure to handle larger volumes of waste more efficiently and cost-effectively, manual sorting processes are proving insufficient. Optical sorters provide a technologically advanced solution, enabling the high-speed and accurate separation of materials such as plastics, glass, and metals. This improves throughput and boosts material recovery rates and purity, meeting economic and environmental objectives.

“The belt segment is projected to account for the largest market during the forecast period.”

By platform, the growth of the belt segment is driven by its ability to handle high volumes with consistent material presentation and superior sorting accuracy. Belt-based systems provide a stable, flat surface that supports precise detection and ejection, making them suitable for a wide range of applications in food processing, recycling, and mining. Additionally, their compatibility with advanced multi-sensor technologies, gentle handling of fragile or irregular materials, and easy integration into automated production lines further reinforce their dominance in the platform segment.

“The recycling segment is projected to record the highest growth during the forecast period.”

The growing demand for recycling applications is due to the rising waste generation, stricter recycling regulations, and strong global focus on circular economy initiatives. Governments and municipalities are increasingly investing in advanced sorting technologies to improve material recovery rates, purity levels, and operational efficiency. Optical sorters enable accurate separation of plastics, paper, metals, and e-waste at high speeds, reducing landfill dependency and manual labor, which is driving rapid adoption across recycling facilities.

“North America is projected to account for the largest share in the optical sorter market during the forecast period.”

North America is projected to account for the largest share of the optical sorter market primarily due to the region’s high adoption of advanced automation technologies, strong presence of large-scale food processing, recycling, and mining industries, and early integration of AI- and sensor-based sorting systems. Countries, such as the US and Canada, have stringent food safety, quality control, and waste management regulations, which drive continuous investment in high-precision optical sorting solutions to improve compliance, reduce contamination, and enhance operational efficiency. The region also benefits from a well-established industrial infrastructure, high labor costs that encourage automation, strong R&D capabilities, and the presence of leading optical sorter manufacturers and technology providers, all of which accelerate technology adoption and large-scale deployments across multiple end-use industries.

Given below is the breakdown of primary interviews:

• By Company Type: Tier 1 – 20%, Tier 2 – 45%, and Tier 3 – 35%
• By Designation: C-level Executives – 35%, Directors – 40%, and Others – 25%
• By Region: North America – 25%, Europe – 30%, Asia Pacific – 35%, and RoW – 10%

Prominent players profiled in this report include TOMRA Systems ASA (Norway), Hefei Meyer Optoelectronic Technology INC. (China), Bühler (Switzerland), STEINERT (Germany), Key Technology (US), Sesotec Group (Germany), PELLENC ST (France), Binder+Co (Austria), SATAKE CORPORATION (Japan), and Hefei Taihe Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd (China).

Research Coverage:

The report defines, describes, and forecasts the optical sorter market by offering (Hardware, software & services), type (Traditional cameras, NIR sorters, hyperspectral cameras & combined sorters, lasers, other types), platform (Belt, freefall, lane, hybrid), application (Food & beverages, recycling, mining, pharmaceutical, other applications), and region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and RoW). It provides detailed information regarding drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges influencing the market’s growth. Additionally, it analyzes competitive developments, including acquisitions, product launches, expansions, and actions taken by key players to grow in the market.

Reasons to Buy This Report:

The report will help market leaders/new entrants with information on the closest approximations of the revenue for the overall optical sorter market and its subsegments. The report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insight to position their business better and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. The report will also help stakeholders understand the market’s pulse and provide information on key drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges.

The report provides insights into the following points:

• Analysis of Key Drivers (Rising deployment of sustainable packaging solutions, high emphasis on environmental and sustainability goals), restraints (Low defect-detection accuracy or sensitivity, integration with IoT and AI technologies), opportunities (Implementation of stringent waste management regulations), and challenges (Limitations of infrared and other sorting technologies) in the optical sorter market
• Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights into upcoming technologies, research & development activities, and product launches in the optical sorter market
• Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets across various regions
• Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about products launched, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the optical sorter market
• Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market share, growth strategies, and offering of leading players, including TOMRA Systems ASA (Norway), Hefei Meyer Optoelectronic Technology INC. (China), Bühler (Switzerland), STEINERT (Germany), and Key Technology (US) in the optical sorter market

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