The application of gas discharge plasmas has assumed an important place in many manufacturing processes. Plasma methods contribute significantly to the economic prosperity of industrialized societies. However, plasma is mainly an enabling method and therefore its role remains often hidden. Hence the success of plasma technologies is described for different examples and commercial areas. From these examples and emerging applications, the potential of plasma technologies is discussed. Economic trends are anticipated together with research needs. The community of plasma scientists strongly believes that more exciting advances will continue to foster innovations and discoveries in the first decades of the 21st century, if research and education will be properly funded and sustained by public bodies and industrial investors.