Planting Equipment Market – An Overview

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.

Global Instant Noodles Market Trend – Augmenting the Global Processed Food Market Growth

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.

Halal Cosmetics – A New Member of Sustainable Cosmetics Family

The issues of the ingredient used in cosmetics pose a serious situation and becomes a big question mark. People are getting more and more aware about ingredients that are used to make various cosmetics and personal care products. With this, organic, vegan, and eco-friendly are becoming common terms in the global cosmetics and personal care industry as synthetic chemicals and ingredients are capable of harming one’s skin as well as environment. However, there is another term which is getting popularity in the cosmetics world- Halal.

Halal beauty products are manufactured, produced, and composed of ingredients that are “permissible” under Islamic law. The word “Halal” is an Arabic word which means permitted or acceptable according to Islamic law. Halal cosmetics must not contain any ingredient derived from any forbidden animals such as pork, animals that were dead prior to slaughtering, blood, alcohol or carnivorous animals since these all items are considered ‘Haram’ which means ‘forbidden’ in Arab. That is, cosmetics which are Halal-certified do not contain ingredients obtained from animals which are prohibited by the Islamic Law. Halal cosmetics are also free from genetically modified organisms (GMO) since they are considered unclean. One common interpretation of Islamic law is that halal cosmetics must not contain any parts or substances of forbidden animals, such as dogs and pigs; must be handled with clean utensils; and must be made with materials and ingredients that are not harmful to humans.

halal cosmetics market

Growing Muslim Population and Demand for Cosmetics and Beauty Products Among Muslim Women

With rising disposable incomes and living standards, people are increasingly spending in expensive, premium beauty products that are Halal-certified. With the growing Muslim population at an unprecedented rate, there is more and more demand across Muslim consumers searching for Halal cosmetics and personal care products. More Muslim women consumers are concerned about ingredients used in their makeup products. Although it is not a new phenomenon, both small and global cosmetic companies have started to get Halal-certification for their products so as to capture the untapped and growing customer base for Halal cosmetics. Since Muslims believe that products applied topically on the skin means that one is ‘consuming’ ingredients indirectly via skin, cosmetic and personal care products should adhere to halal standards. With people getting more and more aware about various ingredients being used in cosmetic product, this, along with rising disposable incomes is escalating the demand for halal cosmetics, thereby driving the global halal cosmetics market growth.

Projected Percentage of Muslim Population, 2010 and 2030

halal cosmetics market

Source: Pew Research Center

Halal Cosmetics Getting Popular Among Non-Muslim Population Too!

Although the major customer base for Halal cosmetic manufacturers is Muslim population, Halal cosmetics are also in demand among non-Muslim population since Halal-certification assures that these cosmetic and personal care products are not only safe to use and of high quality, but also are produced and processed in a manner that are free from any animal derived-ingredient and safe for the environment.Since Halal-certification implies the safety and quality of ingredients and the manufacturing process, these cosmetics are increasingly used by people who want to wear makeup without harming their skin which is often caused by non-halal ingredients such as alcohol.

In order to get Halal certification, a product has to go through the appropriate and strict certification channels to ensure there is no animal substances such as pig, alcohol, or contamination during manufacturing. For this, an Islamic Affairs organisation tracks down the source of every ingredient to ensure it was created according to Sharia Law. Natural sources means both vegetable and animal sources and are most often used in the cosmetics industry. Usually, animal sources include animal elastin, fat, protein, and glands. Most common animal-derived ingredients that have been used in cosmetics by almost each and every cosmetic brand include:

Albumen- derived from egg whites

Amino Acids- obtained from whale intestines

Collagen- usually derived from animal tissue

Gelatine- protein obtained by boiling animal skins, ligaments, and bones including pigs and cows

With vegan / cruelty-free cosmetics are now facing skyrocketing demand, non-Muslim population who want eco-friendly, vegan cosmetic and personal care products are going for Halal-certified products.

However, one should not combine vegan and Halal products. Halal products may not contain alcohol or any ingredient derived from forbidden animals, but it may ingredients that are derived from permissible animals. Meanwhile, although vegan products do not contain any animal-derived ingredient, it may contain alcohol which is a forbidden ingredient under Halal rules.

Booming Sales on E-Commerce Platform

High proliferation of smartphones and better internet connectivity has increased the online transactions worldwide. As there are many online platforms that sell genuine cosmetic and personal care products, companies are using this sales channel often to promote their products in order to reach a larger customer base. Online stores also make it easier for consumers to purchase halal-certified cosmetics which are not available in their country in physical stores. Many organizations are keen on exploring untapped online sales platforms for Halal-certified products. For example, Malaysia launched the first Shariah- and Halal-compliant e-commerce platform in 2016. The platform, with an investment of US$5 million, is run by the Aladdin Group of Companies and caters to both B2C and B2B communities across the Internet. The platform is also accessible via mobile applications globally.

Global Internet Penetration, Percentage of Population, 2012 to 2017

halal cosmetics market

Source: The World Bank Group

Although it is quite difficult to get Halal certification for cosmetics and personal care products due to lack of global standardized set of halal-specific guidelines in the global cosmetic industry, as people across the globe continue to embrace cultures and traditions which, for long, had remained confined to a particular community, we expect widespread adoption of halal cosmetics over the medium and long term.

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.

Print Labels: Informative Oh Yeah!

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.

Machine Condition Monitoring: Keeps Your Machines Fit and Fine

Condition monitoring for machines within an industrial facility helps in keeping track of the machine’s health and performance with time. Along with condition monitoring, parameters like temperature, current, vibration, and revolutions per minute, i.e. RPM are measured. The technique is an indispensable tool in order to monitor machine conditions in a real-time scenario. This is further useful in avoiding unanticipated downtime, tailor preventative maintenance schedules for the fulfillment of the usage demands in industrial operations, in addition to collecting necessary data for further diagnostic and predictive maintenance. Thus, machine condition monitoring offers ease and convenience in improving the overall equipment effectiveness, OEE; and overall production effectiveness, OPE.

machine condition monitoring market

The increasing adoption of IoT in various industries will contribute to propelling the machine condition monitoring market demand. With the surging adoption of IoT in industries, it has provided convenience in monitoring machine performance even while staying at a distant place. The increasing adoption of IoT in industries is further propagated by the growing digitization worldwide, thus, fueling the consumption of connected devices at a large scale. Also, technological innovations in machine condition monitoring solutions have led to the launch of cloud-based condition monitoring solutions, further augmenting the market growth. Furthermore, the adoption of IoT and web-based monitoring tools have helped in reducing the unplanned machine downtime that decrease the product and service turnaround times, and hence, contributed to lowering the production costs to a greater extent. An industrial IoT platform containing machine monitoring features has raised interest among the manufacturers to turn to IoT-driven condition monitoring for identifying issues that could affect the production quality and further assist in the replacement of faulty parts before the situation worsens.

The presence of companies offering condition monitoring solutions is contributing to driving the market growth at present and in the future. For example, National Instruments Corp. offers condition monitoring for rail and heavy equipment. This is because of the fact that the maintenance of a fleet of heavy equipment is challenging during the movement or distribution. The use of wireless sensors capable of collecting insights from harsh environments and communication via condition monitoring software in predicting and prioritizing maintenance is gaining momentum. The company offers online monitoring software for avoiding logistical stress that is linked to fleet maintenance. The information comprises data ranging from wheel bearings on rail cars to gearboxes deployed on open-pit mining machinery. Products and solutions include InsightCM, NI monitoring devices, and InsightCM add-Ons.

Emerson Electric Co. condition monitoring solutions offers routine monitoring of equipment resulting in necessary data for generating information regarding the machine condition. The company’s solutions are particular to a specific application and delivers data through accurate machine condition diagnosis.

Products include machinery health analyzer, wireless vibration transmitter, machinery health expert, processor card for machinery health monitor, channel output relay module for machinery health monitor, prediction processor card for machinery health monitor, transient processor card for machinery health monitor, wireless Bluetooth headphones for AMS 2140, impact hammer for use with AMS 2140, vibration strobe light, and break away cable. The company in 2020 news release announced its collaboration with Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas for the development of digital technologies, software, and services for helping utility consumers. This partnership is poised to drive operational excellence in the North American region. The collaboration is further focused on digital solutions for the optimization of performance and reliability, enabling predictive and artificial intelligence-driven maintenance strategies, in addition to the automation of operational decision making. Such collaborations will further contribute to bolstering the machine condition monitoring market growth.

Significant product launches in machine condition monitoring are further fueling the market growth indicating innovations in the industry. Advantech Co., Ltd., in October 2017, announced the launch of a machine condition monitoring software for convenient sensor signal acquisition, signal analysis, feature extraction, data management, and interpretation, and alert notifications for online condition monitoring and smart inspection. The company, along with this software, is providing its customers an extensive solution for machine monitoring and management focused on the fulfillment of the multiple application needs. The software is compatible with varied Advantech DAQ computers and cards that allow customers in the quick installation or seamless integration into the monitoring system or device. Additionally, the software consists of a user-guided graphical interface that can be of great help to engineers and system integrators for easy configuration settings without any programming. Furthermore, condition monitoring offers 3 modes that include scope mode, intelligent inspection mode, and condition monitoring mode.

In 2020, ACOEM Group announced the launch of a novel ecosystem for the augmented mechanic, RT-300. The mobile and connected solution is aimed at simplifying the process and thus provides all the relevant information in a proactive manner, contributing to making right and accurate decisions at the time of maintenance operations. This involves a conjunction of instantaneous diagnostic tools, precision lineage, and cloud connectivity to report and gain access to the machine history, fit for unique 4.0 maintenance solution. The provision of an in-depth machine health report will further help in reducing the time between the decision and intervention of a machine operator to a greater extent, further contributing to providing assurance for enhanced production performance and quality.

STMicroelectronics, in 2020, announced the release of a novel vibration-sensing solution for optimizing the enabling of smart maintenance of factory equipment. The vibration sensor along with a supporting multi-sensor evaluation kit is poised to escalate the development of the condition-monitoring systems for boosting productivity through the derivation of the equipment maintenance needs.  

On-premise versus cloud-based: It has been noticed on a wide scale that there is an ongoing evolution from an on-premise platform to a cloud-based platform. In order to store data on-premise, a vendor or a supplier will require a data center containing many dedicated servers for sensor data collection and processing. The amount of data to be stored is quite limited as per the local data center storage capability. Hence, this limits the operational ability of an on-premise condition monitoring system. Also, the distributed nature of the industrial manufacturing facilities does not allow the manufacturing of a data center close to a piece of machinery to be monitored, in such cases, cloud-based platforms offer the best solutions. As cloud computing allows the storage of huge amounts of data in the cloud and this data can be easily deduced through connected machines. Also, it is possible to scale up storage capacity.

Capacitive Sensor Technology: Strengthens With the Booming Electronics Industry

Capacitive sensing involves sensors that are used for the detection and measurement of proximity, position, pressure, humidity, force, displacement, fluid level, and acceleration. The growing consumer electronics industry is burgeoning the market demand.

The utilization of capacitive sensors in varied consumer electronics goods is propelling the market growth. The growing smartphone penetration is further augmenting the market demand. This is further supported by the installation of touchscreens on these devices among other mobile devices like iPad and tablets. With the onset of virtual reality, the market is continuing to keep pace with evolving consumer interests. Cirque Corporation, an inventor of the capacitive touch technology, in 2018, announced the launch of its state-of-art technology platform, called as VR Grip™, a solution that is a combination of capacitive touch with proximity sensing for the creation of a truly integrated virtual reality experience. The novel solution amalgamates tracking of a user’s hand and fingers on the controller surface, and through proximity sensing tracks position of finger in the open space above the controller surface. The product is similar in function to a glove tracking system, while continuing the direct touch sensing feedback and trigger control of a controller. Such innovations will further continue to drive the capacitive sensor market growth at a significant pace.

The use of interactive displays like an HMI in varied end-use industry verticals is further propagating the market growth. With advancements in technology, capacitive sensors are highly preferred and are replacing mechanical buttons, switches, scroll bars, and jog wheels at a fast pace in many of the electronic devices. Capacitive sensing differs from that of inductive sensing, it is capable of sensing different substances such as skin, plastic, metal, and liquid. Thus, these devices offer a smart and rugged choice in comparison to the traditional options. In case of rugged industrial applications where there is a requirement of a control device for tolerating sustained exposure to conditions like temperature swings, humidity, dirt, accidental spills, or long exposure to moisture, capacitive sensors excel in their performance. Hence, owing to their exceptional performance characteristics, these are in high demand among the electronic device manufacturers.

In airports, the installation of interactive displays provide convenience to air passengers traversing through busy airports to regain information required at their fingertips. However, in the current coronavirus pandemic scenario, the demand for touchscreens have reduced to a greater extent due to the imposed travel bans. Hence, this has impacted the market growth severely in this sector. However, after recovery, with adjustments made as per the new normal, the market will further continue to gain pace at a steady rate in airports.

For broadcast applications, in the media and entertainment industry, the market is continuing to grow at a rapid pace, even in the mid of the pandemic scenario. This is due to the fact that whether on the set or while in the production room, broadcast outlets are realizing the importance of interactive displays in their operation, and hence are in high demand.

For business presentations, interactive displays are contributing to gaining more viewer attention. Displays can be configured to display content through any device, via desktop or mobile and through multi touch features, the audience can explore data that is being presented. However, amid COVID-19 scenario, touchscreen displays are in demand for video conferencing, among other electronic devices for contacting people around the world and carrying out their business operations through remote working. This is further contributing to surging the capacitive sensor market growth. The displays are available in different screen sizes as per the need.

capacitive sensor market

In education sector as well, interactive displays are being adopted as a powerful novel way to interact with students. The utilization of multi-touch displays has allowed the instructors and teachers to enhance their teaching methods by the use of high-resolution images, 3D models, and interactive videos. This have further contributed to gather a better understanding of the subject, in addition, students are capable of relating the acquired subject knowledge to real world applications in a much better way.

In automotive manufacturing, capacitive sensors are utilized for the measurement of brake disc deformation. Due to the high temperature development, very few sensors hold suitability for operating close to the measurement object. Capacitive transducers are capable of detecting changes at nanometer level, and thus, measures the erosion on the brake disc.

In the gaming industry, multitouch displays providing interactive visualization for gamers are offering immense opportunities for manufacturers to develop innovative games. Thus, contributing to providing a whole new gaming experience to their customers.

Interactive touchscreen kiosks in shopping malls and other commercial spaces have led to providing unlimited information to the user. Hence, it has become quite convenient for users to extract immediate important information at the tip of their fingers. This has further surged the market demand with the growing construction of shopping complexes with increasing urbanization, especially, in the developing regions of the world.

Capacitive sensors are used for tolerance testing applications in mass production, vibration measurement, strain measurement, thickness control of thin metal foils and plastic foils at the time production process and many more applications. It is also utilized in semiconductor industry for bevelling and bending of wafers during production.

In power industry, capacitive sensors are used for dynamic measurements in turbines or engines. The centrifugal forces exerted on turbine blades lead to the expansion of the blades. For designing and construction of these blades, it is necessary that there is no imbalance that result in instability of the system. Hence, the use of capacitive transducers allows the detection of changes at the nanometer level and hence provide data for finite element analysis (FEM). The growing demand for energy and power will continue to propel the market demand. According to the OECD Green Growth Studies, the share of nuclear power is projected to increase from 6% to 7% during the time period 2009 to 2035. In addition, the use of renewable energy is expected to rise to around three-folds over the same time period.

capacitive sensor market

Source: OECD Green Growth Studies, Increase in Share of Nuclear Power

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vibha Saklani is a Market Research Analyst at KSI, working on the estimates and global reports on multiple industries spanning from IoT to food and beverages, with a special knack for healthcare, medical devices, and related markets. With the addition of her formal education in Biotechnology and having a research background, she is able to shed more light on the detailed analysis of the story. To read more articles by her, and for more information regarding multiple global markets, visit www.knowledge-sourcing.com.

The Bright Future of Electromechanical Relay

Electromechanical relays are often referred to as switches that control high power electrical devices simply by using a small amount of power. These relays are used in the operation of both AC and DC current; and a magnetic force is generated when the power is supplied while controlling the mechanism in the switch. These electromechanical relays have various applications ranging from power supply switching in televisions and DTH boxes to the factory automation, and motor controllers, among others.

Expanding the telecom industry in developing countries like China and India coupled with increasing demand for energy-efficient solutions is expected to be the prime driver for the growth of the electromechanical relay market during the forecast period. For instance, according to the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the telecom sector revenue increased by nearly three percent year on year to 1.3 trillion Yuan in 2018 showing a great opportunity for electromechanical relay manufacturers and vendors.

electromechanical relay market

Increasing energy prices globally is expected to drive the demand for advanced electromechanical relays aiming to reduce power consumption. Also, the growing number of renewable energy projects in various parts of the world is fuelling the demand for high capacity electromechanical relays, thus favoring the electromechanical relay market trend.

There has been a growing focus on reducing the construction time of a power plant to meet the growing global power demand. Simultaneously, the growing demand for electromechanical relays in the energy and semiconductor industry is due to its low cost, long operation life, less power consumption, and easy maintenance. Besides, the wide adoption of electromechanical relays in electronic appliances coupled with the rising use in the automobile sector in the fuse box to prevent the circuits from overload and faults is also expected to fuel the growth of the market over the forecast period. Simultaneously, there is also a growing trend towards the adoption and production of renewable sources of energy globally. For instance, in Europe, wind energy remains the second largest from power generation capacity and moreover, it is expected to overtake gas installations by 2019 (Source: Wind Europe) all such initiative by both public and private players is expected to create ample opportunities for electromechanical relay manufacturers and vendors. Simultaneously there are currently 454 operable civil nuclear power reactors globally, with a further 54 under construction (Source: World Nuclear Association). Thus, the growing plant turbine production to meet the growing global power demand along with its increasing use in the nuclear power plant will boost the demand for electromechanical relay solutions in the energy and power sector.

China Is Expected to Hold a Significant Share in the Global Market

Expanding the power and utility industry in the country coupled with increasing investment by both the public and private sectors is further expected to boost the adoption of the electromechanical relay in the coming years. In fact, according to China Electricity Council (CEC), the country is expected to put another 110 gig watts (GW) of new power generation into operation with half consisting of clean energy sources like solar by the end of this year. In addition, China is also stepping up its efforts to build charging stations in order to foster new energy car sector and these controllers are widely used across the charging station which is expected to boost the demand in the coming years. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China is the world's largest new energy vehicle market with the sale of 1.25million cars in 2018 amid sluggish overall car market. Also, Volkswagen AG and FAW group Co sign an agreement as a part of the multibillion-dollar investment for setting up a network of a fast-charging station in China. Moreover increasing number of construction projects in the country along with the growing trend of mega projects like Beijing Daxing International Airport which started in 2014 whose first phase is expected to be complete by the end of 2019, increases the demand of automatic power factor controllers because of its ability to improve voltage, reduce power systems losses and increasing load carrying capabilities. All such factors are expected to further propel the electromechanical relay market growth opportunities for manufacturers and vendors in the coming years.

Aerospace and Defense Industry

Factors such as supportive government initiatives, effective talent recruitment strategies being adopted by the government, and the private sector, has led to relevant job skills training being provided to the new workforce. This, in turn, is bolstering the growth of the aerospace industry in developed regions such as North America and Europe and thereby impacting the growth of the electromechanical relay market. Favorable macroeconomic factors such as high economic growth and rapid industrialization have led to the setting up of aerospace clusters in the region, thereby positively impacting the demand for advanced electromechanical relays in various parts of the world. Rising investments by major aerospace companies in developing regions such as MEA and APAC owing to growing domestic demand and burgeoning tourism industry is further providing the necessary impetus to the thermal spray coating market for the aerospace segment. For example, in November 2019, Boeing predicted that India would require 2,380 commercial planes, valued at US$330 billion to handle the growing demand for air travel in the coming 20 years.

electromechanical relay market

Source: The World Bank

In addition to this, rapid advancements in the electromechanical relay technologies are further estimated to boost their demand in the years to come. According to the World Bank, military expenditure at current USD in Germany and France has increased from US$42.552 and US$ 60.595 billion in 2007 to US$49.471 and US$63.8 billion in 2018, respectively. Furthermore, globally air transport passenger carried in recent years have also shown significant growth for instance, according to the World Bank recent report transport passenger carried has increased from 2.5 billion in 2009 to 4.233 billion in 2018 which is showing a growth of more than eighty percent thus opening the growth opportunities for electromechanical relay manufacturers and vendors.

World of Aseptic Packaging

 

Aseptic packaging is the process of filling sterile products into the sterile containers, within the aseptic chambers and environment. A significant number of advantages offered by this process has led to an increased usage of aseptic packaging products across food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. The expanding food and beverage industry coupled with a shifting trend towards food and beverages without preservatives is expected to be the prime driver for the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Shifting Trends Towards Foods and Beverages Without Preservatives Is Driving the Growth of the Market During the Forecast Period

Today, preservatives have been widely used to extend the shelf life of various products. However, many of the preservatives, which are approved by many authorities around the globe are capable of causing multiple health hazards. This has led to people avoiding the adoption of products that use them. There are also alternative thermal sterilization techniques such as Ultra High Temperature (UHT) processing which eliminate the use of preservatives, but it also requires pre-sterilized packaging solutions in the form of aseptic packaging, which is expected to drive the growth of the aseptic packaging market. Furthermore, multiple food preservatives, such as Sodium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite, have also been linked to cancer, but are allowed in smaller quantities in many countries. This has further increased the demand for the avoidance of any forms of preservatives in foods and beverages and is snowballing the demand for other forms of treatment and aseptic packaging solutions for their packaging.

aseptic packaging market

Packaging Material Insight

By packaging material, the global aseptic packaging market is segmented based on paper, plastic, glass, and metal. Paper is expected to hold a significant share in the market and is also projected to grow at the exponential rate owing to the heavy regulations regarding the promotion of renewable and sustainable packaging in various parts of the world. Also, developed economies around the world have recently committed to creating 100% renewable, compostable, and recyclable packaging by 2025, positively impacting the demand for paper-based aseptic packaging. In addition to this, the paper is also preferred as the outer layer as it makes it easier to be printed on and increase the aesthetic appeal of the product. Multiple key players are also focusing on producing aseptic packaging solutions catering to this need for multiple foods and beverage manufacturers. Additionally, both plastic and glass segments are also expected to hold a substantial share in the market due to their growing applications in various industry verticals such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, cosmetics among many more. Besides, plastic packaging is also heavily used in other food and beverage packaging juices, and multiple other beverages are commonly packed in bottles made out of PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate). The changing lifestyle and preferences of convenient and easy to carry packaging solutions have resulted in a rise in the consumption of such beverages, resulting in a further rise in usage of plastic for aseptic packaging in overall packaging industry. However, metal is projected to hold a nominal share in the market and is also seen to grow at the marginal rate in the coming years.

By Application, Aseptic Packaging for Food and Beverage Segment Is Holding a Significant Share

Food packaging and beverage packaging held a significant market share owing to the high adoption of processed foods and the trend towards the adoption of aseptic packaging solutions due to the numerous advantages it offers. Aseptic packaging is used by the beverage manufacturers for a variety of purposes including improving the shelf life, cost- efficiency, and the quality of the product at room temperatures. In addition, a rising number of supermarkets in the region and convenience offered by aseptic packaging to consumers boost the demand for this packaging technique.

aseptic packaging market

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

The trend towards the adoption of aseptic packaging solutions due to its faster-processing speed and cost-efficiency due to its ability to relatively lower the logistics and storage cost is one of the major factors driving the demand for this packaging technology for beverage technology. The manufacturers and food processors are increasingly investing in aseptic packaging to gain a competitive advantage. For instance, in March 2018, Nestle has launched its largest ready-to-drink aseptic products factory in the world in Anderson, Ind., with production dedicated to meet growing the United States consumer demand for Nestle Nesquik ready-to-drink and coffee-mate liquid products through various distribution channels.  In addition, new players entering the market by providing beverages without the addition of any preservatives will add to the demand for aseptic packaging. Furthermore, increasing healthcare expenditure and growing health concerns are some of the major factors driving the demand for aseptic healthcare packaging. Furthermore, the aging population in countries like Japan, Italy, and Canada will add to the growing demand for pharmaceutical products, thereby augmenting the demand for aseptic packaging in the coming years.

Product Segment Insight

Cartons and boxes hold a substantial share in the market owing to rising demand for convenience and quality products coupled with growing disposable income in developing countries like China, India, and Brazil. Bottles are widely used in the beverage industry and the established dairy industry in developing countries like India, China, and Indonesia will further favour the aseptic packaging market trend during the forecast period.

Furthermore, aseptic pouches are widely used in the food industry particularly to store semi-liquid products. With the shift in consumer preference against the use of food preservatives, there is an increase in the adoption rate of aseptic pouches by the manufacturers in the country and thereby augmenting the demand for aseptic pouches packaging in the coming years.

Recent News

February 2019, Sealed Air Corporation announced the acquisition of MGM, a specialist in printing and laminating in addition to providing flexible food packaging materials for consumer-packaged goods market in South East Asia. Following the acquisition, the company aims for the expansion of food packaging operations in Asia.

October 2018, SIG expands global partnership with Nestlé to Brazil. SIG has started supplying filling machines for 500, 750, and 1000ml combiblocMidi carton packs to Nestlé Brazil’s Molico and Ninho UHT milk.

October 2018, Tetra Pak acquired Big Drum Engineering GmbH, a leading supplier of filling machines for the ice cream industry to strengthen its product offerings for ice cream manufacturers. This deal further extends the company’s portfolio to provide end to end solutions for food and beverage companies around the world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rajat Sudan is a Market Research Analyst at Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence, working on estimates and global/regional specific reports on multiple industries ranging from healthcare to automotive, with a special knack for packaging. With the addition of his formal education in Economics, Commerce, and Finance, he is able to provide more light on the macro aspects of the story. To read more articles by him, and for more information regarding multiple global markets, visit https://www.knowledge-sourcing.com.

Industrial Enzymes Market Trend – Assuring Feed Safety to Ensure Food Security

From the very first enzyme-assisted alcohol production through the processing of grains, where aspergillus strains had been employed, in Neolithic China, wine production at the site of Tepe in  Neolithic Mesopotamia, the use of microorganism and malt in bread making by Egyptians to applications of enzymes that are based out of 20th-century inventions like organic synthesis, textiles, animal feed, enhanced application in food and beverage, in pharmaceuticals, in personal care, in molecular biology as well as biofuels, among others, industrial enzymes remain integral to the sustenance of consumption.

industrial enzyme market

Besides advancements in chemicals and materials industry, scientific progress has precipitated many breakthroughs, one that is contextually pertinent is an increase in life expectancy and increase in birthrate. This is also a result of increasing access to education, which is resulting in enhanced earning capacity that further leads to the awareness of a healthy lifestyle. Further, the share of working women has increased too during the past few years, which has resulted in enhanced postnatal care as well as more health-conscious consumption during pregnancy. Thus, to surmise the aforementioned the population is expected to grow rapidly so is the rate of urbanization underscoring the importance of food security more than ever. While vegan oriented consumption has gained steam in the developed economies, meat and dairy-based consumption hasn’t been entirely abstained from and still are among the mainstay of the economies. Further, consumers in emerging economies as well as those of the developing economies are expected to consume more meat and dairy products during the next few years. According to FAO, the consumption of animal products is expected to rise by 70 % by 2050. This in turn will necessitate an increase in animal production, which will require an additional amount of feed to be produced to ensure sustainable production of safe and affordable animal proteins.

Projections of Poultry Meat Production, Developing Countries

industrial enzyme market

In kt cwe (thousand tons at carcass weight equivalent)

Source: OECD-FAO

Moreover, according to FAO, the global meat products in 2020 is forast to drop by 333 million tons (carcass weight equivalent), 1.7 % lower than that of 2019. Further, a drop in global production of pig meat is also expected due to African swine fever (ASF) that is largely concentrated in Asian countries. Nevertheless, in contrast, the global production of poultry meat is expected to expand with a modest output growth that is predicted for ovine meat, international meat trade is estimated to grow by 37 million tons in 2020, a year-on-year increase by 2.4%. Further world milk production is estimated to grow by 0.8 % to 859 million tons. The main reasons contributing to this increase are expansion in production in Asia and North America, with moderate increases in Africa, Central America, Oceania, and the Caribbean. Moreover, farm modernization in China and the growing market share of dairy cooperatives through the means of products derived from milk in India are expected to sustain milk products leading to the growth in dairy production in Asia.  Moreover, owing to a robust consumer and industrial demand, Mexico is expected to witness decent growth in milk output. The Russian Federation too is expected to witness an increase in milk output due to modern dairy farms.

Albeit the economic hardship, due to COVID-19 along with logistical bottlenecks and a sharp decline in demand from the food services sector due to lockdown measure resulting in a  global downward draft in import, demand for meat and dairy is expected to climb after the world economy normalizes especial now that a myriad of COVID vaccines is in the trial phase. Thus, to sustain the supply of food and ensure food safety, feed safety is of paramount importance leading to the reinforcement of the cognizance of feed to be an integral part of the food chain. Thereby feed production is also subjected to an equal degree of quality assurance as is the case of food production.

Enzymes; Prepared Enzymes, N.E.S. (Exports)

industrial enzyme market

In Thousands of US$

Source: International Trade Centre

Thus, regarding animal feed, mycotoxins are a perennial issue and are always present in the feed, to date hasn’t been able to successfully eliminated and in a normal scenario, it will be resorbed and taken up into the bloodstream of the livestock animal. To this extent, it is important to note that leading animal nutrition firm BIOMIN had reportedly reached a milestone in the EU registration of FUMzyme®, which is the only commercially available mycotoxin-deactivating enzyme, in July 2020. Further climate change is also responsible of creating an environment that is conducive to spread of Fusarium fungi, leading to a rise in fumonisin contamination of crops, making it a concern for dairy farmers as it leads to a significant reduction of average daily milk yield, reduce the digestibility of dry matter and leads to liver damage in dairy cows. In view of above the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that the aforesaid additive, when used at the minimum, recommended dose of 40 U/kg feed has the potential to degrade fumonisin in fermenting feed. Earlier FUMzyme® had received EU authorization for application in pig and poultry diets.

Besides the aforesaid, the have been notable developments that have reinforced animal feed industries share in the industrial enzyme market and facilitating a consequent increase in market share. The developments of 2018 are being elucidated below:

February – Joint Development Agreement

A joint development agreement for the development and commercialization of enzymes for animal feed applications was reportedly announced by Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) and Qingdao Vland Biotech Group Co., Ltd.Under the terms of the agreement, enzyme-producing strains will be shared by the companies, based on which feed enzymes development will be carried out, ultimately facilitating the objective of animal nutrition and health enhancement. Further, it was also agreed that products developed under the agreement will be commercialized by both companies

September – Product Launch

DSM (Euronext: DSM) world leader in animal nutrition and Novozymes A/S (Nasdaq Copenhagen: NZYM B) world leader in biological solutions had reportedly announced a new feed additive called Balancius™, which was the world’s first at the time of the launch to improve gut functionality for broiler chickens, acting as an enabler for broilers for a better nutrients uptake from the feed aiding in better growth,  minimization of feed use and facilitating the production of 3% more food from the same amount of feed. This product not only cut costs for livestock management but also reportedly aids in a significant reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission.

November – Strategic Partnership

Kerry Inc’s (ISEQ: KRZ; LSE: KYGA) Kerry Animal Health & Nutrition and Agrivida, the Massachusetts-based biotechnology startup has reportedly announced a strategic partnership, providing Kerry with rights to promote Agrivida’s pioneering GRAINZYME® Phytase technology for poultry use for the U.S.A. market. This product was designed with the rationale to replace a fraction of the traditional corn that producers already feed their flocks, which would reportedly result in higher business profitability.

Therefore, from the aforementioned, it can be concluded that the need for food security requires assurance of food safety, among others, which in turn is poised to drive the need for feed safety. Moreover, with growing awareness of the negative externalities of animal husbandry on the environment coupled with the demand for high quality, affordable food as part of a healthy, balanced diet by consumers has led to the development of enhanced feed that is devoid of chemicals and is primarily derived naturally. Thereby leading to a higher demand for animal feed which in turn will facilitate healthy growth of industrial enzymes during the next few years.

Servo Motors and Drives Market Growth – Effectuating a Paradigm Shift Through Automation

With motion control being fundamental to automation, among a myriad of aspects that are subsumed under it, servo motors and drives are essential to translate low power command signals from the controller to high power voltage and current to the motor. Based on the nature of applications like quick reversing, high accuracy positioning, among others, these electric devices can regulate and properly coordinate the motor’s desired position, speed, and torque. Further, they are easy to install and doesn’t involve any cost of maintenance.

Motor Vehicles for the Transport of >= 10 Persons, Incl. Driver – Imports

servo motors and drives market

Source: International Trade Centre

In thousands of US$

Insights – Applications, Technology, Motor Configuration

From the perspective of the application, the segment of robotics is expected to occupy a substantial share of the servo motors and drives market, chiefly due to the integration of robotics in a variety of end-use applications and the concomitant stratospheric growth of the robotics industry. Owing to, among others, a huge volume of trade that the world is currently witnessing, the segment pertaining to printing and packaging is also expected to register a decent growth rate.  Furthermore, albeit the downward draft due to COVID19 and the recent African swine fever (ASF) which restricted trade and livestock farming to a certain extent, among others, the all-encompassing food & beverages industry is expected to drive the demand for servo motors and drives to a new zenith because of the growing need for automation which provides enhanced accuracy in a host of processes that the industry entails. Applications pertaining to textiles, pulp & paper among others are also increasingly adopting these electronic devices. Automotive is another segment that is expected to occupy a huge space in the servo motors and drives the market.

Besides, from the technological aspect, the segment of the single-axis servo system is expected to contribute to a meteoric rise of the servo motors and drives market as compared to multi-axis servo systems. This is mainly due to the relatively reasonable cost and an efficacious performance that ist widely known to offer. Further repetitive operations like those of CNC machines, XY tables, assembly arrangements, among others, necessitate the use of linear servo motors and drives.  Moreover, with a greater number of manufacturers making linear servo motors commercially available, consumers have a greater degree of liberty to settle for the product that best fits their needs, even though rotary servo motors also hold an equivalent space in this market. With respect to motor configurations, AC servo motors and drives are poised to hold a substantial space in the market due to its adaptability to both light and heavy power load without compromising on performance, with synchronous types being the most preferred types.

Flat-Rolled Products of Stainless Steel, of a Width of >= 600 MM, Hot-Rolled or Cold-Rolled "Cold-Reduced"- Exports

servo motors and drives market

Source: International Trade Centre

In thousands of US$

Strategic Landscape & Consequent Influences

The global market for servo motors is fragmented due to the presence of small-scale manufacturers of servo motors and drives around the world. The major companies are expected to hold a great share of the global market which has been augmented by full-fledged companies in emerging markets as well. Further, to gain competitive advantage the players in the market have increasingly adopted strategies like business expansions, acquisitions, collaborations, and product launch, which is anticipated to lead to a substantial growth of the market. Some of the strategies adopted by the players in the semiconductor industry during 2018 are detailed below.

February – Collaboration

SEW-EURODRIVE a world leader in drive technology and a pioneer in drive-based automation and subsidiary of GENERAL ELECTRIC (NYSE: GE), GE Power, which is the world’s energy leader that operates in 180 countries, and reportedly equips 90% of power transmission utilities worldwide with their technology had announced a collaboration with each other. The primary rationale for this collaboration is enabling a new generation of connected machines with rich motion and drive technology. Based on this rationale, Sew-Eurodrive’s robust portfolio that comprises servo gear-motors among others is based on modular components that can be assembled in a variety of different configurations that best suit the customer needs at a reduced cost. Sew-Eurodrive’s drives and servo motors with variable frequency will be integrated into the GE PACMotion product line. In this manner GE Power’s Automation & Controls business, which had recently launched industrial Internet Control System (IICS) that combines both control and connectivity into a single device facilitating the transitioning of controls into the digital era, will be enhanced., while enabling Sew-Eurodrive to integrate a rich set of analytics resulting enhanced operational efficiency and reduced cost. For consumers, this collaboration translates to greater accessibility of a wide range of intelligent products.

June – Acquisition

The acquisition of Lafert Group, a European leader in the design and production of electric motors and drivers, which are tailor-made for industrial use was reportedly acquired by Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd and its Power Transmission and controls division. The value of the transaction was reportedly equal to an equity value of EUR 172.65 million. After the transaction, Lafert will be a part of the Japanese market brand Sumitomo Drive Technologies and will execute the function of being a global Competence Center for research and development. Further, the total value of the production of electric motors of Sumitomo Drive Technologies after the acquisition of Lafert was reported to be to the tune of 250 million Euro, of which 24% comprise brushless servomotors and torque motors.

July – Busines Expansion

It was reportedly announced that Yaskawa Electric Corporation (TYO: 6506, FSE: 6506) completed the construction of its third plant at Economic and Technological Development Area, Shenyang, China, and subsequently started its operations. This plant was established for augmenting the production capacity of robot controllers, servo amplifiers, servo motor which are fundamental components of automation equipment.

November – Product Launch

It was reportedly announced that Kollmorgen leading global motion solutions provider and a subsidiary of Danaher (NYSE: DHR) had announced the launch of Dual-Axis AKD®2G Servo Drive which was reportedly a power-dense industrial servo with drive-resident graphic display (an industry first) made commercially available in the market. The primary features and advantages that substantiates the launch are:

Features:

  • Dual-channel STO
  • Expandable I/O (without increasing the size)
  • Market-leading velocity and position loop updates at 62.5µs and 125µs respectively
  • Optimized hybrid connector
  • Removable memory
  • Workbench interface

Advantages:

  • Enables significant panel space and cost-saving
  • Enables the reduction of mains wiring, fuses, and filtering
  • Instantaneous accommodation of changing load due to its loop update rate of 1.28µs
  • Plug-and-play compatibility to the recently launched AKM2G
  • Multicore Compute Engine, Servo on a Chip provides relatively higher speed

Extra notes: AKM2G is a synchronous servo motor that is configurable and has high-performance featuring more power density and enhanced torque/speed ratio, enabling OEMs to reportedly achieve up to 30% more performance out of a motor that is equivalent in size or achieve the same degree of performance with a motor that is smaller in size.

Thus, from the aforesaid strategic landscape, it is discernible that advancements in automation have increased various strategic adoptions enabling the market to satisfactorily bring about motion control solutions, which in turn is expected to empower a variety of industries to address the challenges of rising labor cost, unavailability of adequate labor as well as the need for substituting inefficient electric motors, and the need for adhering to global standards of energy efficiency, thus consequently leading to an anticipated servo motor market growth.