Private Equity Is Expanding The MES Stack

The trend of utilizing acquisitions to rapidly expand MES solutions functionality looks set to remain a staple of the industrial technology landscape in 2026. Manufacturing software provider Aegis Software completed its acquisition of Simio on January 27, 2026, augmenting its FactoryLogix MES solution with Simio’s digital twin simulation software and advanced planning and scheduling (APS) tools. The deal is intended to support end-to-end manufacturing execution within a single, integrated platform.

Simio provides users with an object-based, data-driven simulation platform that enables the construction of a digital twin to simulate changes to production to empower decision-making processes. Combined with analytics and bi-directional integration with FactoryLogix, the platform enables real-time, contextualized visibility across production processes, supporting end-to-end performance monitoring and optimization.

Aegis Software (Aegis) itself was acquired by Peak Rock Capital in August 2025 – and the private investment firm’s managing director, Jared Mason, has indicated that it is not yet finished bolstering the provider’s functionality capabilities through acquisitions. Commenting on the recent announcement, he stated, “We look forward to partnering with the combined company to achieve its ambitious growth plan and will continue to pursue strategic acquisitions that expand Aegis’ capabilities and product breadth”.

This move sparks comparisons with TPG’s acquisition of the Proficy technology stack from GE Vernova for $600 million in September 2025. Just weeks later, in November 2025, the offering was strengthened by similar connectivity and digital twin tools – Kepware and ThingWorx – acquired from PTC for up to $725 million.

Without private equity backing, it is highly unlikely that either Aegis or Proficy would have been able to expand their portfolios at this pace. These transactions reflect a broader market shift in which large investment firms are purchasing industrial software portfolios with strong MES components and then supporting them with targeted acquisitions. The result is growing momentum behind single stack, natively integrated platforms that span design, production and supply chain functions, reinforcing the long-term transition from traditional manufacturing execution systems (MES) towards manufacturing operations management (MOM).

The broader portfolios now offered by Aegis Software and Proficy are well-positioned to compete against the heavyweight, enterprise-grade providers of MES/MOM software. Organizations such as Dassault Systèmes, Rockwell Automation and Siemens provide broad technology stacks have historically supported cross-functional selling. Siemens, in particular, continues to emphasize digital twin strategy through recent platform investments and product launches, announcing its Digital Twin Composer software at CES 2026, due to be released in mid-2026 on the Siemens Xcelerator platform.

Overall, these private-equity-backed acquisitions highlight the strong market value that MES/MOM solutions continue to bring manufacturers. The software represents a foundational backbone for industrial transformation – but in many cases remains a technology that firms struggle to effectively deploy at scale. Continued expansion of integrated portfolios around platforms such as Aegis and Proficy are likely to help customers drive adoption and expand digital capabilities more efficiently through the single stack model, rather than attempting to digitally transform by integrating a wide range of best-of-breed systems.