U.S. industrial sensor market healthy and growing

November 15, 2004, Norwalk, CT--Despite sluggish and challenging economic conditions, the sensors industry is inherently robust and is well positioned to enjoy an upswing and experience sound growth in the next five years, according to a new report from Business Communications Company, "Industrial Sensor Technologies and Markets."

According to BCC, the U.S. market for industrial sensors will reach $7.63 billion in 2009 as it grows at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 4.7% between 2004 and 2009. The rapid pace of growth is attributed to competitive pressures in process industries for improved performance and to new sensor technologies that are experiencing tremendous success. Sensors are indispensable to numerous key industries, since they provide vital information about a wealth of parameters (e.g., temperature, position, chemical, pressure, force and load, flow and level) that can profoundly affect a diverse range of products, processes, or systems. Moreover driven by the continued proliferation of more advanced electronic control systems to increase efficiency, users of sensors require ongoing advances in sensor accuracy, reliability, response time, robustness, miniaturization and/or communication capability.

According to BCC, there is a "quiet revolution" occurring in sensor technology that promises to have a tremendous impact on the way sensing will be done in the future. The strongest growth arises from developments in the semiconductor industry and the successful integration of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) as sensing elements. These products have the necessary architecture to integrate complex functions in a single package and to comply with the demands of users regarding an acceptable price/performance range. As shown by their rapid acceptance, sensors that use semiconductor technology are expected to grow at an AAGR of 7.7%, reaching $2.5 billion by 2009.

Older passive, active, and electromechanical sensor technologies are not expected to experience the strong growth of semiconductor technologies. Among industrial sensor types, pressure, force and load, and level sensors will experience the strongest growth. Chemical sensors will also experience growth in wake of possible terrorist threats to a number of key industrial facilities such as chemical plants. These will be deemed "critical infrastructure," and will require stronger emergency response plans (RMPs) and sensing needs. An important trend is the diffusion of nanotechnology into industrial sensor markets, especially for chemical detection.

For more information, visit www.bccresearch.com.