REPORT SCOPE
INTRODUCTION
The true impact of welding on the metalworking industry can be gauged by the total value of the parts produced by welding; the amount of money saved by the use of welding over other metal fabrication processes like soldering, brazing, etc.; and by the value of products made possible by welding. The welding industry is composed of the users of welding techniques as well as the companies that provide the equipment, materials, processes, and support services for welding.
There are various welding technologies, which allow a great deal of flexibility in the design of components to be welded. Welding and joining technologies pervade commercial and defense manufacturing and are a significant value-added source in the manufacturing process. The role of welding and joining in the repair and life extension of manufactured products is even more critical since these processes are frequently used to repair structures and components that were not originally welded.
STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The welding industry is composed of the workforce that uses welding technologies to perform welding operations; the welding supply industry that provides the equipment, products, consumables, and services needed by the workforce; and the end users in the larger national and international industrial sector who rely on welding and joining processes to manufacture their products. This report will concentrate on the manufacturers and end users of various types of welding equipment and consumables.
Machinery, filler materials, and accessories for the various welding processes are manufactured and supplied by a few large companies whose sales exceed $100 million. Several hundred much smaller companies specialize in items such as welding torches, welders’ helmets, hammers, marking equipment, welding screens, special fluxes, etc. The value of shipments at the manufacturing level fluctuates with the volume of metals consumed in global industry, and there have been pronounced upward and downward movements in these figures over the years. This report will go into various aspects of manufacturing of welding equipment and consumables including the sales figures of major manufacturers, their respective position in the market, competition involved in the field, and the future outlook of these companies.
This report will concentrate on the applications of various types of welding in various industries and the future prospects of these welding technologies in these industries, considering the fact that the new technologies and methods are being introduced in the market at a very fast rate.
Manufacturers have requirements in at least three areas: meeting the changing demands of their customers, competing with other manufacturers, and complying with government regulations. This means they continually concentrate on developing a new generation of improved, high-value-added products. Joining technologies that have evolved to meet new industrial needs include specific arc welding techniques for the shipbuilding, aerospace, and oil and gas industries, and advanced resistance welding that has been driven by the automotive and appliance industries. This report will concentrate on the research and development by various manufacturers in developing and improving welding technologies and relevant consumables. The report will also go into the technology life cycle costs of various technologies involved as well as the product life cycle of equipment and consumables involved in the processes.
Materials of the future will be designed to be capable of welding as part of the total integration of welding into the manufacturing cycle. They will have to be energy efficient, environmentally benign, and will help reprocessing at any point in the life cycle of the component. Welding technologies will be developed along with these new materials so practical fabrication methods are available for all engineering applications. The other areas, which will need additional research, are joining of dissimilar materials by welding, polymer joining by welding, and joining of coated high strength steels. This report will go into the foreseeable future developments in the above fields and the research and development programs of various manufacturers and organizations in this regard.
REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY
For an organization to succeed in a competitive market, product opportunities must be identified from the viewpoint of organization’s strengths. For this it is necessary to understand the size and growth rate of any opportunity and the competitive atmosphere in which the organization exists. This report presents the ideal medium to understand the various exciting and growing opportunities in the field of welding and consumables and will help any prospective manufacturer, distributor, or even user to understand and succeed in this growing field.
INTENDED AUDIENCE
This report is intended to help:
· Marketing managers to identify newer market opportunities and develop targeted promotion plans for appropriate welding equipment and consumables.
· Research and development professionals to stay on top of competitor initiatives and explore demand for welding equipment in new applications and to develop new technologies, equipment, and consumables.
· Advertising agencies working with clients in the welding industry to understand the products and to develop messages and images that will influence consumers to purchase these products.
· Business development executives to understand the dynamics of the market and identify possible new markets.
· Information and research center librarians to provide market researchers and brand and product managers with the information they need to do their jobs more effectively.
SCOPE OF REPORT
The report has been prepared in a simple format which can be easily understood. A number of tables and charts/figures are included, which illustrate current and future market scenarios. The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of welding equipment and consumables with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.
INFORMATION SOURCES
The primary information sources include manufacturers and distributors of welding equipment and consumables around the world, major users of these equipment, research organizations, governmental agencies, and trade associations. The report relates to market projections as projected by experts in the welding industry. The report also includes the developments, trends, and activities in the welding industry as reported in trade magazines. Additional secondary sources like data bases, trade literature, specialized journals, and government statistics have been researched while compiling this report.
