U.S. Automated Liquid Handling Technologies Market Size and Growth
The U.S. automated liquid handling technologies market size was valued at USD 811.22 million in 2023 and is projected to surpass around USD 1,769.28 million by 2033, registering a CAGR of 8.11% over the forecast period of 2024 to 2033.
U.S. Automated Liquid Handling Technologies Market Key Takeaways
In 2023, Drug discovery and ADME-Tox research were the most dominant areas in the market, contributing to the largest revenue share of 36.15%.
Cancer and genomic research are projected to have the fastest CAGR of 10.1% during the forecast period.
Automated liquid handling workstations dominated the market and held the largest revenue share of 56.16% in 2023.
Reagents and consumables are expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 9.5% during the forecast period.
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies dominated the market and held the largest revenue share of 37.45% in 2023.
Contract research organization (CRO) research is estimated to register the fastest CAGR of 9.2% during the forecast period.
Market Overview
The U.S. automated liquid handling (ALH) technologies market is a cornerstone of modern laboratory automation, reshaping workflows in life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and academic research. As biological experimentation and diagnostics grow increasingly complex and high-throughput, automated liquid handling systems provide the precision, speed, and scalability required for repeatable and efficient operations.
Liquid handling an essential laboratory process that includes pipetting, dispensing, mixing, and sample transferring—has historically been manual and labor-intensive. With growing demand for high-throughput screening, miniaturization of assays, and multi-omics research, laboratories across the U.S. are transitioning from manual processes to automated systems that reduce human error, improve reproducibility, and enhance data quality. These systems are particularly critical in genomics, drug discovery, clinical diagnostics, and bioprocessing, where volume accuracy and contamination control are non-negotiable.
The U.S. market benefits from its global leadership in biomedical R&D, fueled by a strong ecosystem of pharmaceutical companies, biotech startups, university laboratories, and government agencies such as the NIH. These institutions continuously adopt automated solutions to meet rising throughput requirements and regulatory standards. Moreover, the proliferation of personalized medicine, CRISPR-based gene editing, and cell and gene therapy research is further driving demand for ALH technologies.
Post-COVID-19, the urgency to scale up testing and screening pipelines has acted as a catalyst for ALH adoption in diagnostics and vaccine development. Automation is no longer considered a luxury, but a necessity in ensuring both operational continuity and compliance with safety protocols. Vendors are now innovating with modular, scalable, and AI-integrated systems to cater to varying lab sizes and application needs.
Major Trends in the Market
Integration of AI and Robotics in Liquid Handling: Systems with AI-based error detection, predictive maintenance, and real-time data tracking are becoming mainstream.
Growth in Lab-on-a-Chip Technologies: Microfluidics-based platforms are enabling miniaturized and cost-efficient liquid handling operations.
Personalized Medicine and Genomics Driving Automation: Increasing adoption of next-gen sequencing (NGS) and precision therapeutics is expanding application scope.
Transition from Manual to Semi-automated Workflows in Smaller Labs: Small and mid-sized institutions are adopting benchtop systems to upgrade their productivity.
Eco-friendly and Low-waste Liquid Handling Systems: Vendors are focusing on reducing plastic consumption and chemical waste in response to sustainability goals.
COVID-19 Legacy: Automation in Infectious Disease Testing: High-throughput sample processing in PCR, ELISA, and antigen testing continues to benefit from automation.
Use of 3D Bioprinting and Automation in Bioprocessing: Cell line development and organoid research are increasingly reliant on precise fluid control.
Customization Through Modular Workstation Designs: Labs are seeking flexible automation systems that can scale with evolving research needs.
Rise in Cloud-Connected and Remote-Controlled Systems: Remote lab monitoring and control are becoming more common in distributed research environments.
Increase in Reagent Rental and Subscription Models: Vendors are introducing usage-based pricing to support smaller labs with limited capital.
U.S. Automated Liquid Handling Technologies Market Report Scope
Report Attribute
Details
Market Size in 2024
USD 877.01 million
Market Size by 2033
USD 1,769.28 million
Growth Rate From 2024 to 2033
CAGR of 8.11%
Base Year
2023
Forecast Period
2024 to 2033
Segments Covered
Product, application, end-user
Market Analysis (Terms Used)
Value (US$ Million/Billion) or (Volume/Units)
Report Coverage
Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends
Key Companies Profiled
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.; Agilent Technologies, Inc.; Aurora Biomed, Inc.; AUTOGEN, INC.; Danaher; BioTek Instruments, Inc.; Analytik Jena AG; Corning Incorporated; Eppendorf AG; Formulatrix, Inc.; Gilson, Inc.; Hamilton Company; Hudson Robotics; LABCYTE INC.; Lonza; PerkinElmer, Inc.; QIAGEN; Tecan Trading AG; METTLER TOLEDO
Market Driver: Increasing Demand for High-Throughput Screening and Sample Accuracy
A major driver of the U.S. ALH technologies market is the need for high-throughput screening (HTS) and precise sample handling, particularly in pharmaceutical drug discovery and life sciences research. As the volume of samples and assays being processed has grown exponentially, manual methods have proven inadequate to maintain speed, accuracy, and cost-efficiency. In modern drug development pipelines, particularly in early-stage screening, thousands of compounds must be tested for activity, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics—a process where automation becomes indispensable.
For example, pharmaceutical companies conducting ADME-Tox (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) testing rely on automated pipetting systems that can handle microplate formats such as 384- or 1536-well plates with high precision. These platforms not only accelerate throughput but also reduce operator variability and reagent wastage. Additionally, academic researchers using NGS protocols require reproducible and contamination-free workflows, which ALH platforms are uniquely suited to deliver.
By reducing error rates and optimizing resource utilization, ALH systems are contributing to faster drug-to-market timelines and lower R&D costs key performance metrics in pharmaceutical and biotech settings.
Market Restraint: High Capital Investment and Integration Complexity
Despite its transformative potential, one of the significant restraints for the U.S. automated liquid handling technologies market is the high initial capital investment and integration complexity. Advanced systems, especially integrated workstations and multipurpose robots, require substantial financial outlay for acquisition, installation, calibration, and ongoing maintenance. These costs are often beyond the reach of small academic labs or budget-constrained research institutions.
Moreover, integrating these systems into existing laboratory information management systems (LIMS), electronic lab notebooks (ELNs), or enterprise-level IT infrastructure can be technically challenging. Compatibility issues, software customization, and the need for operator training add to the adoption barriers.
While some vendors have introduced benchtop and modular alternatives, the learning curve and system complexity still deter full-scale automation, especially in settings where research protocols change frequently.
Market Opportunity: Expansion of Cell and Gene Therapy Research
One of the most promising opportunities in the U.S. ALH technologies market lies in supporting the rapid growth of cell and gene therapy (CGT) development. The U.S. leads the world in CGT innovation, with numerous FDA-approved cell-based therapies and hundreds more in the clinical pipeline. These therapies, which include CAR-T cells, stem cells, and gene-modified constructs, require stringent fluid handling protocols during cell isolation, transfection, expansion, and cryopreservation.
ALH systems offer the precision and sterility necessary for reproducible cell processing in GMP-compliant environments. As labs scale from preclinical to clinical manufacturing, there is increasing demand for automation platforms that can handle delicate materials like primary cells, plasmids, viral vectors, and CRISPR reagents without compromising viability.
In particular, automated liquid handlers that support sterile closed-system operations and are integrated with quality control software stand to benefit from the CGT boom. Vendors that cater to this niche will likely see accelerated adoption in both research and clinical-grade manufacturing settings.
U.S. Automated Liquid Handling Technologies Market By Application Insights
Drug discovery and ADME-Tox research dominate the application segment, driven by the extensive need for compound screening, dose-response analysis, and metabolic profiling in preclinical stages. Automated systems are employed to streamline the repetitive tasks of reagent dispensing, assay mixing, and endpoint measurement, enabling pharmaceutical firms to accelerate hit-to-lead timelines. With increasing cost pressures in drug development, companies are prioritizing scalable automation to reduce bottlenecks and human variability.
Cancer and genomic research represent the fastest-growing application, primarily due to rising investment in personalized oncology and biomarker discovery. NGS workflows, single-cell analysis, and transcriptomics studies require high-precision pipetting in microliter to nanoliter ranges. Automated platforms offer the flexibility to handle variable sample types, enable multiplexing, and reduce contamination risks all essential for omics-based approaches. Furthermore, large-scale cancer genome mapping projects and academic consortiums are investing in automation to support reproducible, data-rich experiments.
U.S. Automated Liquid Handling Technologies Market By Product Insights
Automated liquid handling workstations dominate the U.S. market, particularly integrated and multipurpose systems deployed in large pharmaceutical and biotech labs. These platforms are designed to execute complex, multi-step protocols such as serial dilutions, sample normalization, and assay preparation. Integrated workstations offer end-to-end workflow automation, including plate handling, reagent dispensing, and incubation. Their dominance stems from their ability to reduce labor costs, minimize human error, and improve data traceability. Pharmaceutical companies involved in high-throughput screening or biomarker validation often opt for such integrated systems to streamline their R&D pipelines.
Meanwhile, reagents and consumables are the fastest-growing segment, fueled by the recurring nature of their demand. Reagents used in nucleic acid purification, protein assays, and cell-based workflows are tailored for compatibility with various ALH platforms. The growth is particularly strong among labs performing genomics, proteomics, and diagnostic testing, where accuracy and consistency in reagent formulation are crucial. Consumables like pipette tips, microplates, and accessories with anti-contamination features are being developed to complement automated workflows, further boosting their share in recurring revenues.
U.S. Automated Liquid Handling Technologies Market By End-user Insights
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies remain the largest end-user segment, given their substantial automation budgets, regulatory compliance obligations, and need for rapid innovation. These organizations deploy ALH platforms across multiple stages from target identification to formulation to achieve consistency and regulatory traceability. Their willingness to invest in fully integrated systems makes them key consumers of high-end automated platforms.
Contract research organizations (CROs) are the fastest-growing end-user group, as they increasingly handle outsourced R&D activities for global pharmaceutical firms. To meet client demands for rapid, cost-effective, and scalable research solutions, CROs are expanding their automation capabilities. Many CROs offer end-to-end assay development and biomarker screening services, which require flexible and efficient liquid handling tools. As outsourcing continues to rise, CROs are expected to play a pivotal role in driving ALH market growth.
Country-Level Analysis
The U.S. is the global leader in the automated liquid handling technologies market, characterized by a strong infrastructure for scientific research, robust government and private funding, and a thriving biotechnology ecosystem. The country’s dominant position is reinforced by the presence of major pharmaceutical companies, high-tech CROs, and advanced academic research institutions.
Government bodies such as the NIH and BARDA fund a large portion of biomedical and pandemic-related research, creating demand for scalable, reproducible, and error-free liquid handling solutions. Moreover, the U.S. FDA’s emphasis on GMP compliance and data integrity in clinical research incentivizes automation in both R&D and quality control labs.
Innovation hubs like Boston, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area serve as epicenters of adoption, with early-stage startups and university spinouts relying on automated systems to optimize workflow efficiency. Vendor partnerships with U.S.-based diagnostic firms, academic centers, and gene therapy developers are shaping the evolution of ALH products in line with emerging applications.
U.S. Automated Liquid Handling Technologies Market Recent Developments
March 2025: Hamilton Company launched a new multipurpose liquid handler, Microlab® VANTAGE 2.0, equipped with AI-powered liquid level sensing and workflow automation for genomics labs.
February 2025: Thermo Fisher Scientific announced a partnership with a leading U.S. gene therapy firm to develop closed-loop automated liquid handling systems for viral vector purification.
January 2025: Beckman Coulter Life Sciences introduced a fully automated single-cell dispensing workstation targeting cancer and immunology research.
December 2024: Tecan Group Ltd. unveiled a new reagent rental program in North America, offering subscription-based access to its Fluent® and Freedom EVO® platforms for CROs.
November 2024: Agilent Technologies expanded its Santa Clara, California facility to boost manufacturing of consumables for its Bravo and AssayMAP liquid handling systems, responding to growing U.S. demand.
U.S. Automated Liquid Handling Technologies Market Top Key Companies:
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
Aurora Biomed, Inc.
AUTOGEN, INC.
Danaher
BioTek Instruments, Inc.
Analytik Jena AG
Corning Incorporated
Eppendorf AG
Formulatrix, Inc.
Gilson, Inc.
Hamilton Company
Hudson Robotics
LABCYTE INC.
Lonza
PerkinElmer, Inc.
QIAGEN
Tecan Trading AG
METTLER TOLEDO
U.S. Automated Liquid Handling Technologies Market Report Segmentation
This report forecasts revenue growth at country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2021 to 2033. For this study, Nova one advisor, Inc. has segmented the U.S. Automated Liquid Handling Technologies market.
By Product
Automated Liquid Handling Workstations
By Assembly
Standalone Workstations
Integrated Workstations
By Type
Multipurpose Workstation
Pipetting Workstation
Specialized Liquid Handler
Workstation Modul
Reagents & Consumables
Reagents
Accessories
By Application
Drug Discovery & ADME-Tox Research
Cancer & Genomic Research
Bioprocessing/Biotechnology
Others
By End-user
Academic & Research Institutes
Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies
Contract Research Organizations
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