As Industrial Automation Market Reaches Cross Roads, Frost & Sullivan Evaluates Its Future
Factories of the Future to Meld High Technology with Evolving Market Demands
London, United Kingdom, November 16, 2011 --(PR.com)-- The field of industrial automation (IA) is at a cross roads. All major IA vendors acknowledge that the automation and control solutions (ACS) product portfolio is nearing saturation, either directly or indirectly. A major trend underlining this development is the narrowing product definition between individual ACS products, in particular the programmable logic controllers (PLC) and distributed control system (DCS) product line.
A new analyst insight from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.industrialautomation.frost.com) on the Automation & Control Systems (ACS) Market examines the current market scenario and future landscape, as well as details on game changers in factories of the future. On optimistic estimates, the European distributed control systems market and programmable logic controllers market are expected to reach €6.45 billion in 2017.
“Vendors have currently emerged with hybrid products that combine PLC and DCS functionality as a means to counter high competition and gain end-user recognition,” notes Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst Karthik Sundaram. “Despite economic advantages, the emergence of such products has clouded end-user perception to a large extent, and it remains to be seen if this technical strategy yields expected results.”
Clearly noticeable is a significant shift from the traditional parameters determining the ACS market. Currently, it is a company’s product portfolio that yields the maximum influence in the ACS market space, followed closely by service support and cost considerations. This, however, is set to change.
“In the coming years, the emphasis on the IA product portfolio is likely to diminish,” says Sundaram. “In contrast, the need for globalised service support, coupled with cost factors, is expected to gain significant momentum.”
As the ACS market steadily graduates towards the next level, it will offer IA vendors challenging opportunities for growth and excellence. Vendor participants will need to be in tune with on-going developments and enhance their ability to compete and succeed in the future of factories.
“Frost & Sullivan’s vision of the factory of the future is catalysed by five mega trends - cyber security, mobile and wireless technology, enterprise ecosystem, cloud computing and sustainability,” says Sundaram. “These mega trends will influence all aspects of an industrial enterprise.”
For instance, operating personnel in future factories will not be confined to work stations inside control rooms. The advent of tablets and mobile platforms will enable them to track production lines, perform maintenance operations and monitor process issues from their tablets – all while on the move.
The adoption of secure cloud computing technology will enable factories access to relevant strategic data from the Internet to execute real-time decisions and enhance operational efficiency.
“In essence, future factories will have secure wireless networks supporting a highly automated production process, seamlessly interlinked with enterprise software working through the clouds,” concludes Sundaram. “A high-end factory will also involve collaborative manufacturing promoting operational excellence and aiding sustainability.”
If you are interested in more information on this market insight, please send an email with your contact details to Anna Zanchi, Corporate Communications, at anna.zanchi@frost.com.
Automation & Control Systems (ACS) Market – Market Insight is a part of the Market Insights – Industrial Automation & Process Control subscription, which also includes research on all major ACS products including DCS, PLC, SCADA, HMI, MES and PLM. Some of the upcoming deliverables for 2012 include the following titles: Strategic Analysis on the Global SCADA and HMI Market, Wireless Implementation in European Factory Automation and Analysis of the Global Machine Safety Market. These Research Services and Market Insights are part of Frost & Sullivan’s Growth Partnership Service.
About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages 50 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 40 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com.
Contact:
Anna Zanchi
Corporate Communications – Europe
P: 0039 02 46514819
E: anna.zanchi@frost.com
http://www.frost.com
###
A new analyst insight from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.industrialautomation.frost.com) on the Automation & Control Systems (ACS) Market examines the current market scenario and future landscape, as well as details on game changers in factories of the future. On optimistic estimates, the European distributed control systems market and programmable logic controllers market are expected to reach €6.45 billion in 2017.
“Vendors have currently emerged with hybrid products that combine PLC and DCS functionality as a means to counter high competition and gain end-user recognition,” notes Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst Karthik Sundaram. “Despite economic advantages, the emergence of such products has clouded end-user perception to a large extent, and it remains to be seen if this technical strategy yields expected results.”
Clearly noticeable is a significant shift from the traditional parameters determining the ACS market. Currently, it is a company’s product portfolio that yields the maximum influence in the ACS market space, followed closely by service support and cost considerations. This, however, is set to change.
“In the coming years, the emphasis on the IA product portfolio is likely to diminish,” says Sundaram. “In contrast, the need for globalised service support, coupled with cost factors, is expected to gain significant momentum.”
As the ACS market steadily graduates towards the next level, it will offer IA vendors challenging opportunities for growth and excellence. Vendor participants will need to be in tune with on-going developments and enhance their ability to compete and succeed in the future of factories.
“Frost & Sullivan’s vision of the factory of the future is catalysed by five mega trends - cyber security, mobile and wireless technology, enterprise ecosystem, cloud computing and sustainability,” says Sundaram. “These mega trends will influence all aspects of an industrial enterprise.”
For instance, operating personnel in future factories will not be confined to work stations inside control rooms. The advent of tablets and mobile platforms will enable them to track production lines, perform maintenance operations and monitor process issues from their tablets – all while on the move.
The adoption of secure cloud computing technology will enable factories access to relevant strategic data from the Internet to execute real-time decisions and enhance operational efficiency.
“In essence, future factories will have secure wireless networks supporting a highly automated production process, seamlessly interlinked with enterprise software working through the clouds,” concludes Sundaram. “A high-end factory will also involve collaborative manufacturing promoting operational excellence and aiding sustainability.”
If you are interested in more information on this market insight, please send an email with your contact details to Anna Zanchi, Corporate Communications, at anna.zanchi@frost.com.
Automation & Control Systems (ACS) Market – Market Insight is a part of the Market Insights – Industrial Automation & Process Control subscription, which also includes research on all major ACS products including DCS, PLC, SCADA, HMI, MES and PLM. Some of the upcoming deliverables for 2012 include the following titles: Strategic Analysis on the Global SCADA and HMI Market, Wireless Implementation in European Factory Automation and Analysis of the Global Machine Safety Market. These Research Services and Market Insights are part of Frost & Sullivan’s Growth Partnership Service.
About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages 50 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 40 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com.
Contact:
Anna Zanchi
Corporate Communications – Europe
P: 0039 02 46514819
E: anna.zanchi@frost.com
http://www.frost.com
###
Contact
Frost & Sullivan
Anna Zanchi
00390246514819
www.frost.com
Anna Zanchi
00390246514819
www.frost.com
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