Industrial Sensor Technologies and Markets

Report Highlights

• The overall U.S. industrial sensor market will rise at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 4.6%, from $6.1 billion in 2004 to $7.6 billion in 2009.
• Average annual growth is expected to be somewhat higher through 2006 and then fall off somewhat through the remainder of the period.
• Strongest growth arises from the semiconductor industry and further integration of microelectromechanical systems, all of which are expected to grow at an average annual rate of 7.6%, reaching $2.5 billion by 2009.
• The rapid pace of growth is attributed to competitive pressures in process industries for improved performance, and to new sensor technologies that are experiencing tremendous success.

INTRODUCTION

Maximizing opportunities in the sensors arena is a challenging task. Significant changes are taking place in the sensors industry. In the past it was dominated by small-to-medium size companies with a “niche” technology to address a specific part of the market. The structural shift that is taking place has been driven by many external forces including new developments in semiconductor technology, smart sensors, bus-sensor developments and the proliferation of distributed networks, and demands by sensor users for cheaper yet more complex products.

This BCC study focuses on key sensor technologies and applications, and provides data about the size and growth of numerous sensor markets, company profiles and industry trends. Also, the goal of this report is to provide a detailed and comprehensive multiclient study of the U.S. market for industrial sensors, and potential opportunities in the future. The objectives include a thorough coverage of the underlying economic issues driving the industrial sensor , as well as assessments of new and potential products and services that companies are developing. Social, political and regulatory issues also are covered.

This analysis provides the most complete accounting of ongoing industrial sensor developments in the U.S. currently available in a multiclient format. It provides the most thorough and up-to-date assessment that can be found anywhere on the subject. The study also provides extensive quantification of the many important facets of market developments in industrial sensors in the U.S. This, in turn, contributes to the determination of what kind of strategic response companies may adopt to compete in this dynamic market.

SCOPE OF STUDY

The report contains coverage of:

• The industrial sensor industry and its structure, and the many companies involved in providing these products
• The U.S. market for industrial sensors including passive, active, electromechanical and semiconductive
• Sensor applications including temperature, position, pressure, force and load, flow, level and the presence of chemicals
• Corporate strategies and information technologies
• Economic and technological issues regarded as critical to the industry’s current state of change
• The competitive position of the main players in the market and the strategic options they face.

METHODOLOGY

The research methodology was qualitative in nature and employed a triangulative approach, which aids validity. Initially, a comprehensive and exhaustive search of the literature on industrial sensors was conducted. These secondary sources included sensor journals and related books, trade literature, marketing literature, other product/promotional literature, annual reports, security analyst reports, and other publications. A patent search and analysis was also conducted.

In a second phase, a series of semi-structured telephone interviews and email correspondence was conducted with marketing executives, product sales engineers, international sales managers, application engineers, and other personnel of the industrial sensor companies themselves. Other sources included sensor magazines, academics, technology suppliers, technical experts, trade association officials, government officials, and consulting companies. These were a rich source of data. Subsequent analysis of the documents and interview notes was iterative.

INFORMATION SOURCES

Initially, a comprehensive and exhaustive search of the literature on industrial sensors was conducted. These sources included latest press releases on the company websites including application news, company news, marketing news, product news, brochures, product literature, sensor magazines, technical journals, technical books, marketing literature, other promotional literature, annual reports, security analyst reports, and other sensor digest publications. There is very little data in the available literature that analyzes the sensor industry as a whole, and the data that do exist, for the most part, present sensors as part of an integrated control system. The challenge was to identify the sensor component market and evaluate where it fits in the industry. An extensive patent analysis was conducted to gauge technological innovation and to determine research activity as it applies to new product development.

The second phase involved formal and informal telephone interviews/emails correspondence with personnel in the sensor and instrument industries. Instrument suppliers, design engineers, consulting companies, other technical experts, government officials, and trade association officials were also interviewed, as well as the personnel of the industrial sensor companies themselves

ANALYST'S CREDENTIALS

Analyst B.L. Gupta, Bachelor of Engineering, mechanical engineer, has 33 years R&D experience at key positions and has handled high tech product development in a number of fields. Before starting own consultancy in 2001, Gupta worked with leading ISO-9000 certified and reputed multinational companies. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers since 1996; Fellow of Institution of Engineers (India) since 2001; Charter Engineer of Institution of Engineers (India) since 2001; member of Consulting Development Centre, a Goverment of India society, since 2000; and member of the Bureau of Indian Standards on formulation of national standards on printing presses and allied subjects since 1997.