Level transmitters are referred to as sensors used for remote level measurement of liquid, powder, pastes or bulk solids in varied end-user industries. They are utilized for continuous level measurement, and for point level measurement. For continuous level measurement, the level transmitter is used for the detection of the level of a medium in a process tank, storage tank, or silos. It then converts it into the electronic signal. This signal is either displayed directly on site, it can be integrated into a process control or management system as well. For point level detection, the level transmitter is utilized for detection after a predefined level is reached. This type of device is used when measuring every possible intermediate level is not required. In this type of system, there is a switching command that starts or stops filling equipment, for example pumps. These switches, also known as level switches, outputs an electronic signal that can be integrated into a process control system. Different types of level transmitters are widely available in the market. These include capacitive, float, submersible, and ultrasonic among others.

level transmitter market

 

The growing pharmaceutical industry worldwide is projected to surge the level transmitter market growth during the forecast period. This is supported by the increasing number of drug launches with the increasing prevalence of diseases. The growing elderly population in the world require efficient medicines and treatments for their age-associated diseases. Hence, level transmitters in the pharma industry hold importance in drug manufacturing where precision level measurement is required. This is mainly due to the fact that it is necessary that the final end product adheres to the stated tolerances so as to avoid accidents, comply with bioprocess standards, verification of calibration according to the ISO/FDA standards, in addition to system reliability at the time of altering process conditions. As the pharmaceutical industry involves the utilization of mixers, bioreactors, fermenter, and preparation tanks, level transmitters are important. VEGA Americas Inc., provides level sensors for pharmaceutical industry. These include instruments for continuous level measurement. For liquids, the company offers radar sensor, Vegapuls 64 and GWR (Guided Wave Radar) sensor, Vegaflex 83. For bulk solids, the company offers a radar sensor, Vegapuls 69.

The growing pharma spending worldwide is further propagating the market demand during the forecast period. The per capita pharma spending of the United States grew from USD1176.715 in 2015 to USD1228.664 in 2018 (source: OECD).

level transmitter market

Source: OECD, Pharma Spending United States, USD/Capita, 2015-2018

The growing global oil demand is projected to augment the level transmitter market at present and in the future.According to the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) predictions, the oil demand worldwide is expected to grow from 38 million barrels in a day to 115 million barrels per day by the end of 2025. This represents an average growth of 1.7% annually. It has further been observed that the oil demand will continue to rise at a significant pace owing to the increasing demand for energy. The OECD countries accounted to hold the largest share in the global oil demand. It has been predicted that close to 75% of the growth in demand by the end of 2025 is expected to originate from the emerging economies of the world. The oil consumption of the developing countries will rise double, especially in the Asian region where India and China are projected to hold the maximum share in the consumption of oil. Additionally, worldwide, the oil demand is projected to be met majorly by the transportation sector. This sector accounted for holding around 60% share in the increasing oil demand over the period 2000-2025.

Krohne Group offers level transmitters for level measurement on lubricant storage and process tanks for horizontal and vertical tanks with different dimensions and shapes, for level monitoring for improved process and stock inventory management, and offers automated data transmission to the control room.

Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic scenario, in 2020, there are changes noticed in energy supply and demand patterns. The EIA.gov estimated that the global petroleum and liquid fuel demand was 93.4 million barrels per day in July on an average. The demand fell by 9.1 million barrels per day from July 2019. Hence, the organization forecasts that the global petroleum and liquid fuel consumption will constitute to an average of 93.1 million barrels for the year 2020, this is predicted to be down by 8.1 million barrels per day from the year 2019, before its increase by 7 million barrels per day by the end of 2021. The change is attributed to the reduction in the economic activity owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, this may cause a significant impact on the market growth as well amid the pandemic.

The growing demand for wastewater management in the world is further providing an impetus in fueling the market growth. Water quality is important to the maintenance of good human health. In addition, it affects the social and economic development and the overall ecosystem. With a growing population and soaring urbanization, the natural environment is continuously degrading and this is creating a high demand for efficient water treatment processes so that there are sufficient and safe water supplies for carrying out the household, industrial, and commercial businesses in a smooth manner. Wastewater management can help in the protection of the ecosystem and help in providing energy, nutrients, and other recoverable materials. As per the United Nations, 2017 information, high-income countries are accounted to treat around 70% of the generated municipal and industrial wastewater. However, in the upper-middle-income countries, the ratio falls to around 38%, while, for the lower-middle-income countries it accounts for 28%. In low-income-countries, around 8% of the wastewater is treated. Hence, this is creating an opportunity for the market to sustain with demand for level transmitters in wastewater treatment plants. With the 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals, SDG target 6.3 states that by the end of 2030, water quality will be improved through the reduction of pollution, elimination of dumping, and reduction in the release of hazardous chemicals and materials. Also, the SDGs are focused on bringing down the proportion of untreated water to half, thus, increasing wastewater recycling and safe reuse substantially at the global level, further increasing the market growth prospects in the future.

Greyline Instruments offers level measurement instruments for wastewater treatment processes. Products include LIT25 level indicating transmitter and DLT2.0 differential level transmitter. The company is a global pioneer in ultrasonic measuring instruments for wastewater, industrial, and environmental markets. Primary market is environmental, particularly, water and wastewater treatment systems.

Video surveillance systems offer a comprehensive security surveillance solution that are deployed in varied end-use sectors. These systems are used for remote video monitoring for providing protection against theft, burglaries, and suspicious employees. These systems are also used for facility protection for protecting the perimeter of a property or buildings. Other applications include monitoring everyday operations and their use as a tool for streamlining operations, protection of assets, video surveillance cameras can discourage vandalism as there is a possibility of identification on the video. The installation of high-definition cameras can help in facial recognition, posing a threat to vandals. Furthermore, the device offers employee safety, aid in monitoring of thefts and damages to cars in a parking lot, for crowd control during an event, utilized in city streets, parks, neighborhood, and communities for deterring crime and promoting public safety. Also, the deployment of video surveillance systems is done for traffic monitoring for improving the traffic flow and monitoring road accidents, they are also installed on pedestrian gates for intrusion detection.

video surveillance market

 

Increasing Importance of Security Surveillance With Rising Number of Crime Rates

The substantial amount of crime rates in the world is contributing to surging the video surveillance market demand. It has been widely observed that there is a rise in the number of criminal activities including violence, theft, robbery, murder, and burglary. In the United States, as per the Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), a significant amount of property victimizations was analyzed from 2014 to 2018. The type of property crime included burglary/trespassing, motor-vehicle theft, and other thefts include unlawful taking or attempted unlawful taking of property or cash without personal contact with the victim.

video surveillance market

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, United States, National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), Number of Property Victimizations, 2014-2018

Matrix Comsec manufactures security and telecom solutions. For government organizations that are facing a wide-range of threats originating from terrorism to increasing crime rates, shooting, and other emergency situations. There is a requirement of real-time monitoring and quick survey of what is happening around, indoors and outdoors. The increasing number of criminal activities have surged the demand for utilization of novel and innovative security solutions contributing to providing safe and secure environment. The company’s Matrix IP video surveillance is intelligent and scalable providing future-proof security solutions for monitoring and controlling all the government utilities. With the capability of offering live insights, it will instantly notify in the case of any suspicious act. Additionally, automatic crime detection and reporting is offered by the system, thus, contributing to enhancing safety and improves employee productivity. Based in Waghodia, Vadodara, India, the products are widely available in the regions of Europe, America, the Middle-East, Asia, and Australia through its robust distribution of channel partners around the globe.

Strategies for the installation of video surveillance camera is augmenting the video surveillance market growth. In the United Kingdom, the Surveillance Camera Commissioner presented a National Surveillance Camera Strategy in 2017 for England and Wales. The role of the commissioner was introduced for encouraging and advising organization for utilizing surveillance cameras in public places, in addition to following the surveillance camera code of practice. 

For manufacturers and installers in England and Wales, it is suggested to have a clear focus on the requirements and best practice for video surveillance camera market. For the public, there is a requirement to understand the capability of cameras, additionally, the development of technological sophistication as to how can a society provide informed consent to the utilization of public space surveillance is required.

Potential Applications for Video Surveillance Cameras

For commercial businesses, quality video surveillance systems provide information regarding theft, vandalism and others. The presence of companies offering video surveillance services include site security audits, camera recommendations, system configuration, installation support, designing of wireless network, and many more offerings. Additionally, companies also offer regular customer service and technical support. Advantages offered by the commercial video surveillance systems include reduced annual theft losses, deterrence of internal theft by the dishonest employees and contractors, monitoring of day-to-day operations, capability of viewing commercial facility via off-site on a mobile device, help in warding-off trespassers and vandals, and assist in decreasing liability from frivolous claims and lawsuits.

For construction site security, the installation of video surveillance system can protect against security issues on a construction sites that include accidents, theft of construction raw materials like lumber, steel, and copper pipes, help in keeping out petty criminals and intruders, provide assistance in increasing and supplementing current security measures, ensures a safe place for the employees to work, aids in effective monitoring of construction processes and increases the efficiency, and many more.

In the education sector, video surveillance systems have become crucial in schools, college campuses, and other learning institutions. These provide protection against trespassers entering the school or college facility, violence and crime, and student misbehaviour.  

Supercircuits, Inc. provide innovative security solutions to protect students and educators. Featured surveillance solutions for school include security cameras, security camera systems, IP security cameras, digital video recorders, network video recorders, and mobile surveillance among others.

In hospitality sector including hotels, convention centers, museums, stadiums and other entertainment facilities, video surveillance systems offer protection against threats that create chaos and disturbs public peace. Key advantages include better crowd control during high-traffic events, ensures patron and staff safety, works an effective tool for monitoring day-to-day activities, increase customer service, enables remote monitoring, and many more.

In the retail sector, video surveillance systems offer protection against threats that include shoplifting, employee theft, flash rob theft, and also protect against retail crime. With the growing number of retail outlets, especially, modern retail stores, such as supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience stores, the market is projected to grow at a significant pace. This is further supported by the increasing urbanization leading to changing lifestyles of consumers who prefer to shop for products under one roof, thus, saving time and money. Furthermore, with the growing construction activities, significant market growth prospects are offered with the rising construction of retail stores.

It is interesting to see how modernization is increasing its traction across societies worldwide. Societies in the west are witnessing a blending of cultures and lifestyles from the east into them and the societies in the east have, for long, been witnessing a continuously increasing influence of western lifestyle onto them. As this continues, preferences of people associated with all aspects, including eating, living, and travelling among others, are changing. Since vehicles account for a fairly strong position in the societies today, automakers are making all the necessary moves to align their automotive designs with the changing trends and lifestyles of people. Growing popularity of rear seat infotainment systems in vehicles can be seen as the result of automakers’ efforts to retain the significance vehicles hold in people’s lives.

A Rear Seat Infotainment System is, as the term suggests, is an entertainment system which allows passengers in the back seats to consume different types of media from a wide range of sources with high degree of convenience. A Rear Seat Infotainment System usually constitutes of two high-resolution displays which are mounted at the back of front seats’ headrest. Although the number of displays may vary from vehicle to vehicle due to different requirements of different customers, many of the vehicles have one or two displays as part of the system. Just like a compact smart television set, these displays give passengers, in the back seats, ability to consume various types of media from various sources like smartphones, tablets, and USB devices among others. Some advanced systems allow passengers to enjoy media through smart devices which are connected to the system via HDMI. This is a great functionality which allows video game enthusiasts to play their games while travelling. Since advanced Rear Seat Infotainment Systems support reliable wireless connectivity, passengers can seamlessly connect and share media between their smartphones/tablets or other mobile devices and the systems As these systems continue to evolve, customers, now, can interact with the system only through buttons, but also with dedicated remote control and even with smartphone applications which work as a remote control.

The global automotive rear seat infotainment system market growth is majorly attributed to rising disposable income of people in many parts of the world. Improving economic growth in many countries is improving the standard of living of many people. As the ability of people to spend increases, the demand for solutions which, till that time, were considered a luxury also increases. For instance, some of the major automakers including BMW AG, AUDI AG, Daimler AG and Jaguar Land Rover Limited among many others have been providing rear seat infotainment systems pre-fitted across many of their cars in order to provide highest degree of comfort and satisfaction to their customers. As a result, these systems had, for long, been perceived as a component of luxury rides and not for economical rides. However, entry of a good number of players offering these systems at a price which fits many people’s budget has pushed their adoption deeper into the society. People with a fairly strong spending power are seen getting their cars equipped with these systems. Not just this, many other automakers like Hyundai, Honda, Suzuki, Ford, General Motors and many others have also started offering these systems in many of their higher end models or top variants of some of their mid-range models. Although this seems a good sign for the market, a broader picture shows that the market is still struggling to strengthen its traction as automotive sales continue to slip.

First, the global recession of 2007-09, and then the high per capita ownership of vehicles in many countries led to a decline in automotive sales. This is hindering the market growth to some extent. However, this is not as bad as it looks like since presence of a large number of vehicles on road is increasing the aftermarket growth potential for rear seat infotainment systems. Since these systems can be installed in vehicles without much hassle, and there is a fairly vast network of workshops, which offer a wide range of these systems from different vendors and also offer installation services, people who seek to get their vehicles equipped with these systems can easily do so by taking their vehicles to a nearby vendor. This high ease of getting these systems is driving the market growth. The market is poised to show a robust growth over the next five years and this growth will majorly be fuelled by increasing popularity of connected cars and electric cars.

Electric cars can be seen offering a good number of features in order to enhance customers’ experience. Some high end electric car manufacturers have already started offering rear seat infotainment systems in many variants and since these systems do not cost much to automakers, they are expected to start offering them even in mid-range vehicles over the next five years. As this happens, the demand for these systems will increase, thus propelling the market growth.

Geographically, the report, titled Global Automotive Rear Seat Infotainment System Market, from Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence has analysed the market across North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific, and even in countries, which account for a considerable market share, across them.

Manufacturing sector continuously needs adaptation and innovation in a sustainable manner using new technologies. As such, smart manufacturing requires the use of smart production application technology to promote sustainability. With intensive R&D efforts in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), a number of AI-based techniques such as machine learning have been continuously deployed across various industries for different applications. With rapid move towards Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence (AI) is considered as the driving force of smart factory automation.  

High proliferation rate of connected devices and growing penetration of high-speed internet connectivity has resulted in a significant rise in data volume. With the growing volume of data, there has been a constant requirement for more efficient systems and solutions to solve complex mathematical and computational problems. Thus, booming volume of big data is the major driver of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions market.

Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Solutions Market Size, in US$ Billion,

2019 and 2025

AI solutions market

Source: Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence Analysis

The above figure shows the market size of artificial intelligence (AI) solution market. According to the Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence analysis, the artificial intelligence (AI) solutions market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17.26%, reaching a total market size of US$150.204 billion in 20205 from US$57.767 billion in 2019.

From autonomous cars to chatbots, more and more widespread implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) applications across different industry verticals is transforming industry as well as society, offering fewer repetitive tasks and increased efficiencies. For instance, in the automotive and transportation sector, artificial intelligence (AI) solutions are committed to improve road safety; use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the healthcare sector hold promising future to provide solutions for many incurable diseases while allowing remote care. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is also helping to combat the adverse impact of climate change with smart technology and sensors reducing greenhouse gas emissions. High level of investment in research and development in each application field is boosting the rate of adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, thus positively impacting the market growth. Artificial intelligence solutions are also being integrated into video surveillance. As such, with rising government spending for cybersecurity solutions integrated with real-time analytics also propels the artificial intelligence (AI) solutions market growth.    

Other factors that are bolstering the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions market include rising popularity of quantum computing and growing robotics industry.

Estimated Annual Global Supply of Industrial Robots, in Thousand of Units

AI solutions market

Source: International Federation of Robotics (IFR)

According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) future outlook, the annual number of robots supplied to factories around the world is projected to reach 630,000 units in 2021 from 381,000 units in 2017. Robots are helping to improve the manufacturing productivity across different end-use industries while utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology among several other cutting-edge technologies for various applications. Increasing investments, both public and private, in smart city projects across various regions also provides a great opportunity for artificial intelligence (AI) solutions market players thereby driving the overall market growth during the forecast period.  

Furthermore, AI startups are continuously being backed by various venture capitalists which will also bolster the artificial intelligence (AI) solutions market growth during the next five years.

Market Segment Overview

Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions market has been segmented by deployment model, technology, enterprise size, end-user industry, and geography. By deployment model, the market segmentation has been done as on-premise and cloud. Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions market has been classified by technology as machine learning, deep learning, machine vision, and natural process learning. BY enterprise size, the market has been segmented as  small, medium, and large, BY end-user industry, the market segmentation has been done as healthcare, manufacturing, BFSI, communication and technology, education, and others. Geographically, the major regional Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions market are North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Asia Pacific (APAC).

Impact of COVID-19

The recent COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has further accelerated the growth of AI solutions market and will continue as companies shift their focus to recovery. With a large number of people working remotely while consumers purchasing goods online due to nationwide lockdowns and mandatory social distancing measures in order to curtail the transmission of coronavirus, there has been a sudden spike in the demand for AI solutions. For instance, AI-enabled platforms are helping enterprises better stimulate live work environments and creating on-demand labor forces. AI is also helping companies detect new consumption patterns and deliver personalized products to online customers. In the post-COVID situation, the application of artificial intelligence is likely to be very important and valuable in helping companies to adapt to these changed trends. Recession caused by coronavirus is driving more adoption of new business models supported by AI technology and solutions. The pandemic has already started replacing human center workers with AI chatbots. Although call center have been continuously automating the workplace, this pandemic has accelerated the process.

Even governments in various countries are planning to implement programs and policies to further support the deployment of AI technology and solutions. For example, in 2017, the Chinese government announced its plans to ‘lead the world’ in AI technology and solutions by 2030. Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) also has plans to build an AI innovation ecosystem which involves different aspects of the artificial intelligence such as technologies, talents, field domains, and industries, aiming to become a key players in the global AI value chain. In 2019, South Korean president also launched a National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, focusing on the country’s industrial and educational efforts on the potential opportunities in this technology. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Anjali Joshi is a senior market research analyst at Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence. She oversees a team of analysts and is known for the quality of market intelligence she delivers to the clients which range from start-ups and Non-profit Organizations to Fortune 500 companies. Anjali’s keen understanding of international business and market dynamics, coupled with her years of experience working in this industry, allows her to analyse current and future trends across both global and clients’ target markets and help them in making informed decisions.

 

https://www.knowledge-sourcing.com/industry/healthcareThe growing digitization in healthcare has widened the scope for software to integrate into various healthcare applications. The software itself is considered as a medical device by the name software-as-a-medical device (SaMD) and constitutes one of the types of software linked to medical devices. As per the definition by the IMDRF, SaMD is defined as a software that is intended to be utilized for one or more than one application performing its function without losing its ability to function even in the absence of a hardware medical device. It was previously referred to as a standalone device as well by the industry, regulators and healthcare providers. Other names include medical device software and health software.

The utilization of software as a medical device is continuing to surge and it is being utilized across a wide range of tech platforms that include medical device platforms, commercial off-the-shelf platforms, and virtual networks among others.

Companies developing SaMD solutions are further contributing to surging the software as a medical device market growth. For example, ScienceSoft, an IT consulting and software development company based out of the United States initially started as a small AI product company now deals in developing software as a medical device solution as one of its products. The company develops software as a medical device that runs on desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones providing assistance to patients and medical specialists in planning treatments, viewing medical images, image recognition, monitoring heart rate, and drug dosage calculation among others.

software as a medical device market

Challenges and Future of SAMD

Even though there are immense opportunities for SaMD that will help in improving the healthcare system, it contains new challenges for the regulators and industry players. The challenges include cybersecurity, tracking, and interoperability. However, regulators worldwide are working on addressing challenges posed by SaMD through recognizing the need to converge on a common framework and principles, thus, enabling all the stakeholders to encourage safe innovation and further contribute to the protection of patient safety. 

Additionally, this indicates that the industry and the regulators must abide by the globally executed device identification and coding standards for identifying and tracking SaMD throughout its lifetime. As these devices are different from the traditional medical devices, they can be physically labelled using a Unique Device Identifier.

Cybersecurity issues may pose a significant challenge to software security. These may lead to the introduction of certain risks during device usage.  It may allow the cyber attacker in controlling the device and change its functionality, further resulting in affecting the safety and effectiveness of SaMD. Hence, this may further lead to the leaking of critical patient information.

The US FDA’s Software Pre-Certification Program, currently at its pilot test-phase according to 2019 information, is designed to help to notify the development of a future regulatory model for digital health technology like a SaMD. The program, at first, is working on the examination of the software developer in order to demonstrate a robust culture of quality and organizational excellence, this is different from the conventional approach of assessing a medical device product.

What All Devices Are Included to Be Called as Software as a Medical Device and What Not?

A Software as a medical device spans from a software that allows the usage of a smartphone for viewing images acquired from an MRI medical device for diagnosis to a CAD software that is capable of performing image post-processing in order to detect a cancer, for example lung cancer. SAMD can also be interfaced with other medical devices that include hardware medical devices or medical software. In addition, they can be used with a general-purpose software. For instance, software for treatment planning that helps in supplying information used in a medical device is also software as a medical device. Other examples include, software with a medical purpose operating on a general-purpose computing platform, for example, a computer system that is not installed for a specific medical purpose will also be considered as a software as a medical device. Additionally, a software attached to a hardware medical device, but is not required by that medical device for achieving its intended medical objective is also considered as a software as a medical device. Moreover, a software as a medical device that is capable of working on a general-purpose computing platform can be located in a hardware medical device. Hence, with the increasing number of hardware devices, medical or non-medical devices, that may help as a platform for SaMD in order to encourage an efficient functioning of a medical operation will continue to increase the software as a medical device market demand. This can be highly beneficial for remote healthcare operations to carry out in a smooth manner, therefore, helping in decreasing the number of hospital visits, further promoting to reducing healthcare costs to a greater extent.

Following Are the List of Examples Not Considered as Software as a Medical Device:

If a software is a part of a hardware medical device, it does not qualify for meeting the definition of a SaMD. A software that is utilized for driving or controlling the motors or is used for the pumping of a medication in a drug delivery system, it is not considered as a software as a medical device. Embedded software that is used in an implantable cardiac device like a pacemaker is not a SaMD.

A software that is required by a hardware medical device for performing the hardware device intended medical motive, even in the case of separate sales of the software is not a SaMD. A software that is dependent on an information provided by a medical device, but does not have a medical purpose is not a SaMD. For instance, a software that coverts a data into a code in order to transfer it from a medical device is not considered as SaMD. Additionally, a software that is capable of enabling a clinical communication and workflow comprising patient registration, visits, calling and others is not a SaMD. A software that is used for monitoring a medical device performance in order to assess the need for servicing the device is also not considered a SaMD. For example, a software that is integrated for analyzing laboratory quality control data for identifying errors. Furthermore, a software that serves as an input for a SaMD is not considered as a software as a medical device if it does not have a medical objective. For instance, a database containing search and query functions either all alone or when utilized by a software as a medical device.

Continuous innovations in the flow meter industry have paved the way for smart or intelligent flow meters for real-time measurement of liquid or gas flow. Potential industrial applications include chemical, oil and gas, pulp and paper industry, the wastewater industry, pharmaceutical industry, and many more.

Smart Flow Meters for Smart Metering Applications

There is a rising focus on the consumption of natural resources, also, efforts are being made towards water conservation. Hence, a growing need for the accurate assessment of water consumption in the real-time scenario is contributing to propelling the intelligent flow meters market demand. The advent of smart metering solutions is helping to generate timely awareness of water consumption, in comparison to the manually read metering solutions. One of the advantages of real-time metering involves effective communication directly to the consumers, enhancing consumer awareness, further, resulting in reduction of waste and lowering of expenses. Additionally, benefits of smart metering systems include higher reliability, reduced tampering, and lowering of carbon emissions. STMicroelectronics smart water meter is utilized for the measurement of water flow through wireless communication in order to connect to local or wide area network.

intelligent flow meters market

This further allows remote monitoring and infrastructure maintenance through leak detection. In addition, smart water metering system help in automatic billing and customer management that include detection and protection against interfering attempts. Hence, a smart meter platform has opened new opportunities for intelligent flow meters, further providing an opportunity for the market to grow at a significant pace. Furthermore, companies launching smart water meters are further offering robust market growth prospects to proliferate. In 2018, Itron announced the launch of its novel water meter. The first ultrasonic water metering solution allows the utilities to leverage the power of data in North America. When combined with the company’s multi-purpose networks OpenWay Riva and Gen5, the meter is capable of providing real-time information to the utility service providers. Hence, contributing to the better management of the water delivery and usage. The launch is a part of the company’s expansion of its offerings in the North American water market, in addition, it provides immense help to the customers in realizing the full benefit of investing in smart technologies.

Smart Flow Meters for the Growing Chemical Industry

ABB next-generation flowmeters are designed for use in the chemical industry. Its electromagnetic flowmeter, ProcessMaster FEP630, is tough, reliable, and provides incredible ease and convenience to work with. This advanced intelligent flow meter is capable of performing in the most demanding process applications. It combines modular transmitter design with a SmartSensor technology along with a built-in verification. The superior sensor design is capable of withstanding the harshest environmental conditions. Additionally, the industry optimized liner and electrode materials and resistance to abrasion or corrosion make the smart flow meter perfect for chemical industry applications.

Furthermore, with the growing chemical industry worldwide, the market for intelligent flow meters is projected to grow. For example, according to the information provided by USA.gov, in 2017, the chemical industry in the United States of America, final sales revenue accounted for more than USD765 billion, the direct employment in the chemical industry accounted for over 529,000 workers. Additionally, indirect employment accounted for over 1.8 million workers. The total foreign direct investment, FDI in the chemical industry in the USA, in 2017, was around USD700 billion. The R&D investments accounted for USD99 billion in the same year. The chemical industry in the country is counted as one of the largest manufacturing industries that serve the domestic as well as the rapidly growing global market. Also, it is among the top exporting sectors of manufacturing in the USA, further accounting for holding a share of around 18% in the global chemical shipments. The country is a global pioneer in chemical production and exports.

Certain government initiatives for boosting the revenues of the chemical sector are further propelling the intelligent flow meters market demand at present and in the future. For example, in India, the government has taken several reforms and initiatives that include Make in India, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, Smart City Mission, and Swachh Bharat for improvement of the country’s infrastructure. Further, adding to increasing the country’s economic growth. Through the Make in India initiative, the GOI has allowed 100% FDI through the automatic route, this is expected to fuel the investment in the chemical sector of the country. Additionally, the government has reduced the import duty from around 5% to 2.5% approximately for some of the raw materials utilized for chemical manufacturing. These raw materials include propane, ethane, and butane. The government initiatives are further aimed at the cleanliness of the streets, roads, and the country’s cities, towns, and rural areas. For this, budget allocation is done each year under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Such initiatives are also providing support to the chemical industry, particularly to the companies that deal in the manufacturing of surfactants and water treatment chemicals. Similarly, for smart cities, the government invested in construction chemicals.

Company Product Launches Related to Intelligent Flow Meters

The launch of a novel version of smart meter verification software for its Coriolis and magnetic flow meters was declared by Emerson in 2018. This will further help in offering flow meter verification on demand and will empower process engineers, technicians, and operators to make real-time decisions. The smart meter verification diagnostics are responsible for monitoring of the entire flow meter performance and integrity. Also, are applicable in varied process industry sectors including oil & gas, food and beverage, and chemical industry.

In 2019, an Aberdeenshire-based startup developed an automated technology for its two metering products for analyzing flow data for offshore applications. The intelligent flow meters have a smaller footprint and eliminate the need for manual intervention, in addition to the elimination of production shutdowns. The company, GM Flow Measurement Services Ltd. is focused on becoming the industry’s new standard in gas flow measurement metering and is poised to achieve growth in the United Kingdom and across the globe.

Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment are a product that provides heating and cooling to residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. The growing competition within the HVAC industry has led to a significant reduction in the prices over the years, which directly increased its demand – even among the lower-income group. Simultaneously, the development of a technologically advanced and energy-saving HVAC system has led to a steady surge in the replacement of old and traditional equipment with the new ones. Moreover, the growing re-modeling spending along with the expenditure on the construction on new residential and non-residential buildings is further providing the revenue generation opportunity for the manufacturers, with the HVAC equipment market size, projected to grow from US$116.515 billion in 2019 to US$162.123 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 5.66%.

HVAC equipment market

COVID-19 Fizzes Out the Anticipated Positive Outlook for the Air-Conditioner Generated From Freon Banned in the United States

Freon, commonly known as HCFC-22 and R-22 are common refrigerants that are widely used in air-conditioning units. In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that no new systems will be based on HCFC-22, and from January 2020 onwards, the manufacturing and import of the refrigerant have been prohibited. This implies that the existing units utilizing HCFC-22 and R-22 will have to be replaced or retrofitted in order to use a new refrigerant. Thus, the air-conditioners manufacturers in the United States were looking forward to generating higher revenues in 2020, but the entire outlook has been drastically changed after the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in lockdown measures being imposed by the government leading to a temporary shutdown in retail stores and supermarkets to contain the spread of the virus. Moreover, the unemployment rates in the country have increased from 3.7% in June 2019 to 11.1% in June 2020, which is further expected to reduce the spending on HVAC equipment in 2020. Major air-conditioners manufacturers and brands have suffered a double-digit decline in the demand for air-conditioners.

However, the gradual relaxation in the lockdown measures and the simultaneous resumption in the construction sector and manufacturing facilities is expected to support the recovery of the market, specifically from the latter half of 2020. In fact, from 2021 onwards, a steady increase in the demand for air-conditioners is projected to drive the HVAC equipment market growth. In the pre-COVID-19 scenario, The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics projected an increase in the employment for heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics, and installer by 13% between 2018-28. This indicates that the HVAC market has a steady and positive outlook in the United States.

Employment Growth Projection in the United States, 2018-2028

HVAC equipment market

Source: U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics

Recent Market Developments

  • Zhimi – a Xiaomi ecological chain company launched the Zhimi antibacterial air filter in June 2020 that is currently available on the Xiaomi Youpin platform.
  • In April 2020, Panasonic launched an advanced heating and cooling solutions “Aquarea High-Performance J Generation Bi-Bloc” which is considered ideal for new installation and refurbishment in low energy homes.
  • In February 2020, Samsung India launched two new series of convertible inverter AC models that are energy efficient and are available 1-ton and 1.5-ton variants.
  • Similarly, in March 2020, Voltas expanded its cooling product portfolio with the launch of the “Maha-Adjustable Inverter AC range” for the Indian Market.
  • Aeris Health Inc. expanded its presence in the United States market after it announced a strategic partnership in February 2020 with direct to consumer retail player QVC.
  • Novaerus, an Irish manufacturer of medical-grade clean air solutions announced the expansion of its distribution network in China in January 2020 to order to meet the growing demand for cleaner caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. The company’s disinfection units are based on the plasma technology that has the potential to curtail the impact of air-borne viruses. 
  • Similarly, Camfil launched a portable air purifier in the United States amidst the rising demand for isolation areas and cleaner air as a result of the growing number of COVID-19 cases. 
  • Daikin North America LLC launched the FitHeat Pump system for residential applications in January 2020.
  • Panasonic, in September 2019, launched its new heat pump chiller series ECOi-W that has been specifically designed for the commercial and industrial setting.
  • Daikin Europe N.V acquired 100% share of its Norwegian distributor ‘Friganor AS’ to strengthen its position in the country’s HVAC market in 2018.

Emerging Asian Economies – Key Growth Region

The global demand for air conditioner has increased from 104,367 thousand units in 2013 to 110,971 units in 2018 (source: The Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association), with emerging Asian and oceanic countries like India, Vietnam, Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand being the prime growth driver.

Air Conditioner Demand by Region, in Thousands Unit

HVAC equipment market

Source: The Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association

The air conditioner demand in the Asian countries (excluding China and Japan) has grown at a CAGR of 5.42% while the Oceanic continent too has witnessed a similar CAGR between 2013-2018. The expanding middle-class sector as a result of growing urbanization has been instrumental in driving the HVAC equipment market. It is estimated that the global size of the middle-class population will reach 4.9 billion by 2030, from 1.9 billion in 2009 with Asia estimated to represent 66% of the global middle-class population and 59% of the global middle-class consumption by 2030 (source: OECD). Furthermore, of the individuals that were considered poor in 1993 in Indonesia, 80% were no longer poor by 2014, suggesting substantial progress has been made.  The middle-class segment has been growing at 12% annually since 2002 and currently represents half of the overall household consumption in the country (source: World Bank). Thus, the expanding spending ability of the individuals in the emerging countries along with the focus of the government to develop residential and commercial sectors is projected to drive the HVAC equipment market growth during the forecast period. 

The ability to effectively reduce labor cost using planting equipment; the capability to enhance the efficiency of agriculture practices by substituting traditional labor-intensive activities; the rising cost of labor as well as the scarcity of labor due to an increasing shift towards non-agrarian activities; the rising adoption of precision farming facilitated with planting equipment that offers value-added features are few of the determinants that are estimated to positively influence the planting equipment market currently during the next few years.

Planting equipment is essentially farm or garden implements that facilitate the sowing of seeds in a mechanized manner into the ground usually in rows when it comes to agriculture. They also find their functions in small-scale landscaping and gardening. The emergence of precision farming is one of the foremost factors that are expected to drive the planting equipment market growth. The rapid technological advancements like the internet of things (IoT), AI, among others, the need for meeting the global food demand is the need of the hour for framers across the world. Moreover, the growers are faced with increasing pressure to deliver due to factors such as a more restrictive regulatory environment, climate volatility, increasing input costs, among others. This has resulted in the need for tapping into the potential for improved productivity.

planting equipment market

In view of the above, it should be noted that the agricultural industry is faced with unprecedented demands and factors that are expected to affect the same. Taking the example of COVID 19 which has plunged the world in economic difficulties, the demand for food hasn’t stymied. Rather due to the lockdown measures initiated by the various governments of the world during the first quarter of this year, the demand for food has been sustained by a profusion of delivery services facilitated through eCommerce transactions. Further, after the world normalizes the demand for food is expected to further grow. Moreover, the growing global population, diminishing resources, and stressed agricultural supply chains have led to, among others, growing demand for the adoption of practices that ensure higher productivity at a relatively lower cost. Further, the shift in individual consumption patterns which are determined by cultural practices and the availability of income to realize them are also key aspects that are expected to speed the process of farm mechanization adoption. Especially now that the Chinese government has initiated a farm modernization drive, among others the APAC region is expected to reinforce the growth of the planting equipment market.

Further changes in consumer preferences, that are driven by socio-cultural and income-driven continuing urbanization, rising female participation in the workforce are expected to contribute to higher consumption of healthy processed food; increasing proclivity to eat outside of the home, and preference of food which are devoid of any additives. These factors are increasing the demand for agri-based food products which are in turn driving the need for precision farming. This development is expected to drive the growth of the planting equipment market during the next few years. Additionally, the plant-based alternative which is spreading like a wildfire across the world is expected further, drive the demand for the planting equipment market during the coming few years as players engaged in manufacturing ingredients are investing in agriculture to source their raw materials swiftly.

Besides, there have been prominent developments that are expected to augment the growth of the Planting Equipment Market, which are being elucidated below:

January 2019, Acquisition

The acquisition of two affiliated Brazilian limited liability companies known as Defensive and Agrovant was announced AMVAC Chemical Corporation (NYSE: AVD), whereby the latter will be benefitted by a strong platform to market and distribute its products along with a means to introduce SIMPAS (Smart Integrated Multi-product Prescriptive Application System) planting systems in South America, among others.

February 2019, Product Launch

 Electrically driven, with 36 row and 20 inches spacing a bulk fill back planter called Kinze 4700 was reportedly announced to be launched in 2020. It was reported to feature Blue Vantage™ display interface.

March 2019, Product Development

 It was reported that Moisture Planting Technologies (MPT) a company based out of Australia has developed a tine based, tech-enabled broadacre planter that can monitor the soil conditions while plating by employing a combination of artificial intelligence and integrated sensors. During the period of the announcement, the organization was reportedly offering a by-the-hectare-leasing-arrangement in place of the traditional purchase, to the farmers.

April 2019, Product Launch

The Maestro SW 4715 and 4815, two of Horsch’s newest models were launched. These types of machinery were designed with the rationale to facilitate the seeding of both small-seeded crops like canola and still plant corn and soybeans. This translates that to the fact that farmers who are trying out beans and corn in comparatively small acres can now reap the benefits of investing in planters.

January 2020, Collaboration

Kinze and Ag Leader have collaborated to launch a new high-speed planting system. When Kinze will be selling it the product will be called True Speed interfaced with the Blue Vantage system and when it will be sold by Ag Leader for aftermarket planter updates, it will be called SureSpeed. The collaboration stems from the rationale of leveraging the expertise of both organizations, which encompasses Kinze’s expertise in leading seed meter technology and Ag Leader’s expertise in precision farming.

Therefore, from the aforementioned, it can be concluded that due to technological developments and a profusion of farm mechanization as well as continuous developments are, among others, are fueling the demand for crop planting machinery that is expected to drive the growth of the planting equipment market.

From the humble beginnings of 1958, with Momofuku Ando’s momentous invention called “Chicken Ramen”, the global instant noodles market was the harbinger of convenience food which has diversified to such a great extent, leading the instant noodle to be acknowledged as a kitchen-cupboard staple, around the world. In other words, this pantry essential is the most trusted food product, which is ubiquitously consumed, irrespective of the occasion, climate, and age. It has undergone many stages of evolution since then and is now made commercially available along with tastemakers of various flavors. Further, enabling the consumption of noodles directly from its package, which is made commercially available in the form of cups, has facilitated in its increased sales worldwide.

instant noodle market

Moreover, the increasing inclination to integrate convenience food in the daily diet to spare some time for other activities that in and of itself stems from the hectic urban lifestyle is at the core that is expected to drive the growth of the instant noodle market.  However, regular consumption of instant noodles has negative health implication that is expected to restrain the growth of the market to a certain extent, concomitantly pave the way for market players to expand their portfolio with nutritious noodles which are fortified with calcium, Vitamin B1, and Vitamin B2 among other essential nutrients, for example as well as make noodles with non-traditional ingredients.

Rural population (% of total population)

instant noodle market

Source: World Bank

Rapid Urbanization Is the Prime Factor Which Is Expected to Drive the Market Growth

Rural to urban migration and concomitant urbanizationare resulting in the adoption of new trends which is leading to an increasing inclination of consumption of ready-to-eat food, among others. Further convenience snacking is also another aspect that stems from the aforesaid, which is partly facilitating the consumption of instant noodles. Along with the shift from traditional food and beverage consumption, is the increasing household expenditure on processed food that is poised to drive the global instant noodle market growth. Currently, a bulk of the global population resides in urban areas. As of 2018, the most urbanized region of the world was Northern America, wherein 82% of its population was living in urban areas.

This was followed by 81% of the population of Latin American and Caribbean which are concentrated in urban settlements and 74 % of the population of Europe that is concentrated in urban settlements.  Moreover, the share of the global population living in urban areas is estimated to reach 60 % in 2030 from 55 % in 2018. Africa and Asia as of 2018 depicted the lowest levels of urbanization. However, by 2030, urban settlements are projected to support 47 % of the population in Africa, 56 % in Asia, and 71 % in Oceania. Further by 2050, the African urban population is expected to triple. In the case of Asia, it is expected to increase by 61 %. Thus by 2050 most of the world’s urban population will be concentrated in Asia (52 %) and Africa (21%). Therefore, the continuing urbanization expected to lead to contribute to higher consumption of processed and convenience food, and an increasing tendency to eat outside the home.

Asia, Total Population at Mid-Year Estimates

instant noodle market

Total population (thousands)

Source: UN

By Geography, Asia Is Anticipated to Occupy a Substantial Share of the Market During the Forecast Period

In comparison with other continents the APAC region in the most diverse with varying food habits and constitutes more than half of the global population which is to the tune of 4.1 billion. Developing countries with an expected per capita income growth rate of 5% are the regions rapidly developing areas. During the next 10 years Viet Nam, India, and China are expected to grow at 5-6% p.a. while Indonesia is expected to grow at 3% p.a. Concerning Indonesia, the grocery retail sales reached $115 billion in 2019 as per USDA. Due to COVID 19, the country witnessed panic buying during the first quarter of 2020 that resulted in a surge in instant noodles sales among others. Also, the consumer of the country refrained from visiting wet markets during the initial stages of the pandemic and turned their attention towards shopping at modern shops, which are perceived as more hygienic. In the case of Thailand, a growing young, middle-income population with higher disposable incomes and a greater propensity to spend, and a trend towards urbanization are the key drivers of throttling the food retail sector to new heights. These estimations, among others, are expected to influence the global instant noodles market positively.

The substantial scope of product innovation responding to the demand for healthy food consumption is expected to augment the growth of the market

The aforementioned factors like urbanization and increasing disposable income not only aids in increasing the sales of ready-to-eat food products such as instant noodles, but also give rise to health-conscious eating habits. The global food and beverage industry has considered this recent development which has gained substantial steam and has included this in their rationale for new product development. For instance, South Korean food giant Nongshim was reported to unveil a new non-fried type variant of its best-selling instant noodle brand Shin Ramyun during February 2019, without compromising on the widely recognized spice and unique flavor which the organization is known to offer.

Again, pertaining to a player in the APAC region, as of December 2019, NamZ, which is a Singapore food science start-up has reportedly come up with a proprietary technology whereby the traditional deep-frying process to dehydrate and remove moisture to increase its shelf life of noodles has been eliminated. This aids in the retention of the inherent nutrients and nutritional properties of the high protein, nutrient-rich ingredients of their noodles that include the Bambara groundnut and moringa. It is pertinent to note that aforesaid ingredients are known as future-fit crops that can withstand adverse climate changes, require less water, are nutrient-rich, and can produce good yields economically on degraded or marginalized land. Therefore, this unique product is also expected to woo in environmentally conscious consumers too.

Labels are no longer used only for attracting potential buyers. It has added new roles to their bucket list. With rising consumer awareness, their demand for knowing more about the products they consume have also risen. Print labels have now advanced to being a mode of efficient communication as well apart from being a branding tool that companies use to identify its products from their competitors’ product items. This is mainly due to the fact that with the evolving lifestyle of consumers worldwide, their quest for detailed product information before making a purchase has increased and they prefer paying for products according to their exact need. Hence, print labels with in-depth information are significantly gaining momentum.

Companies in the global print labels market are striving their best to satiate a huge consumer base with innovative printing solutions worldwide. For example, Dion label printing solutions provide exceptional printed labels and packaging contributing to making a lasting impact on its customers. The company has expertise in both digital and flexographic printing. For all the new and well-established brands, the company offers the same level of printing service. The company deals in prime labels, tamper labels, and eco-friendly labels under the labels category of offerings.

Print labels market

The growing consumption of packaged foods have surged the demand for print labels. One of the major reasons for high demand for packaged foods is attributed to the increasing urbanization and adoption of modern lifestyle by the consumers. Consumers are adopting a busy schedule and this have significantly put an impact on their dietary consumption patterns as well. Hence, these consumers are in constant demand for food products that come with a longer shelf life and are also quick in consumption in addition to being loaded with sufficient nutrients. Customers seek information regarding ingredients and calories with growing health consciousness, along with specific information such as a GMO product or a non-GMO product. It has been observed on a large scale that there is a growing trend of consuming vegan food across the world, this has also raised demand for informative print labels providing accurate information stating that the product is free from ingredients derived out of an animal source. Print label manufacturers are provided with immense opportunities to extend their production dedicated to this group of society, hence, further providing an opportunity to increase their market share in the global print labels market.

Growing Sustainability Trend Has Further Augmented the Demand for Eco-Friendly Labels, Driving the Market Growth

As companies are moving towards the adoption of sustainability in their production and packaging processes, they prefer to choose eco-friendly options and thus help in the reduction of carbon footprint. It has also been realized that the millennials are investing in purchasing from companies that practice environment friendly techniques. Thus, embracing eco-friendly labels will definitely contribute to increasing the consumer footprint and companies’ products will be in high demand among the millennial population along with providing green credibility.

Print Labels for pharmaceuticals: Pharmaceutical labels are usually printed on certified substrates and need special attention regarding brand protection and anti-counterfeiting. The labels for pharma products include drug and medical device labels among others. For protecting brands from bad practices, label converters invest in additional brand protection measures that include micro text and raised images. Additionally, pharma labels require fine details regarding the product for sale. The image quality of pharma labels needs to be legible for the end consumer. For label manufacturer, it is required to invest in advanced technologies that is capable of providing high-resolution printing. For brand protection and defeat counterfeiters label converters and brand owners have multiple options, one of them includes building counterfeit deterrence, product authentication, and brand protection technologies while designing a label. The other solution involves the combination of technologies for providing the most effective brand protection solution and changing the solutions frequently in order to stay ahead of the counterfeiter. Furthermore, by creating unique labels that cannot be reproduced can avoid counterfeiting of pharmaceutical goods, further raising print labels market growth prospects.

Print Labels for Cosmetics: For cosmetic packaging, print labels require to be attractive as aesthetics is indispensable when investing in cosmetic and beauty product labels. There are certain guidelines to follow regarding cosmetic labels. Misbranded labels are subject to stringent regulatory actions from the US FDA if the product label is found to be misleading or lack in providing essential information. The regulatory guidelines for cosmetic product labeling are as follows, on the principle display panel there should be an identity statement indicating the nature and use of the product through a name or a graphic representation that can be understood by the public. An accurate statement providing information regarding the net quantity of contents. On the information panel, there is a requirement to include name and place of business, distributor statement that must state manufactured or distributed by. An accurate list of materials in the product is to be clearly mentioned. Any warning or caution statements are also to be provided, and ingredients in the descending order of predominance must be written down clearly.

Additionally, in order to distinguish one brand from the other, there are other factors that can be included on the label. It will be easier for the audience to choose from a range of products and thus will contribute to providing distinction and prove to be a deciding factor for the customers. Such claims include vegan, cruelty-free or not tested on animals, alcohol-free, organic, and hypoallergenic. Lastly, another piece of information to be included involves an expiry date. It is the responsibility of a company to provide safety to their customers and keep them well informed regarding the product expiration.

The availability of special printing techniques is adding value to cosmetics in addition to putting style and function to the product labels. Examples include double-sided labels, hot foil stamping, embossed labels, waterproof labels, and hang tags. Custom hang tags provide extra information or key details that do not fit into the labels, also, they help in promoting special deals.