While I’m compiling my thoughts from last week’s ARC Industry Forum, I’m taking a look at some earlier news. This news comes from Tim Dawson, senior research director at Interact Analysis. This firm performs market research more closely aligned with what I’d like to see.
This news relates to smart conveyance technology. The current market leaders are Beckhoff Automation and Rockwell Automation.
Dawson offers this broad picture of the market:
Since the majority of smart conveyance technology vendors are headquartered in Europe, EMEA was the largest market in 2020, registering a total market value of around $100 million. Closely following behind was Asia Pacific ($84 million) and the Americas ($50 million). Despite being second historically, the APAC market is set to surpass EMEA during 2023, as linear smart conveyance technology gains traction in the region. By 2026, the APAC smart conveyance technology market is anticipated to be worth $450 million, ahead of $350 million for EMEA and $185 million for the Americas. The market is set to quadruple in size between 2020 and 2026 with a CAGR of 26.5%.
The point of his research concerned new entrants into the market who just might disrupt things a bit. The new entrants include:
- In October 2021, Schneider Electric entered the market with the launch of its Lexium MC12 multi-carrier system. Schneider is the largest vendor to have launched a linear smart conveyance product post 2020.
- Motor Power Company is another new entrant who recently unveiled the Independent Linear Synchronous Motors (ILSM) product. The solution is fully customizable and is stated to be compatible with any company’s PLC, making the new product attractive to users.
- Bosch Rexroth launched a new planar smart conveyance technology system ctrlX FLOW6D, which incorporates free-floating transport systems to allow for high-performance transportation and freedom of movement. Planar systems can offer extreme flexibility (beyond the capability of linear systems) and can work overhead, horizontally or vertically.
This is interesting technology with applications in several market verticals. It will be enlightening to see where the market is by the end of 2023.
