Independences, OH - Longbow Research, which provides unique insights and primary data on specific companies, supply channels, and industries, has published its latest market survey on the industrial laser and optics market, called "4Q12 Global Laser/Optics Survey." The gist of the survey - of sales, engineering, and management staff in the US, Germany, China, Brazil, France, and Mexico laser markets - is that for laser/optics, US demand improved in 4Q12 and, globally, the outlook remains positive.
Longbow's 3Q12 report, published in mid-October, found market demand for industrial lasers remained modestly positive vs. sentiments at that time the previous year.
Key US takeaways from the 4Q12 survey include that US demand improved meaningfully and apparently accelerated from the 3Q. Seventy-four percent of respondents were up (vs. 50% in 3Q12), 13% flat (vs. 32%) and 13% down (vs. 18%) as demand improved to up high single digits y/y (vs. mid-single digits), and many beat expectations
Longbow's takeaways are based on a compiled mosaic of the many survey responses, including its own analytical interpretation of contact sentiment, underlying industry dynamics, general economic conditions, and the investment implications of the compilation of these factors.
Internationally, the report says, China was flat year-to-year with contacts seeing improvements in the macro; Europe moderated to up mid-single digits (vs. high-single digits in 3Q12) largely due to softer German demand; and emerging markets were quite strong, up to low double digits (vs. mid-single digits) on continued Mexican strength and improving trends in Brazil.
Fiber lasers continue to gain acceptance and market share, while contacts have noted a rising presence of competitors, says the report.
