The annual press release from ABB just arrived. According to the ARC Advisory Group, ABB has retained its leading position in the worldwide DCS (distributed control system) market. According to the study, the global DCS market grew about 4 percent in 2013.
According to the study, ABB was the regional market share leader for Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and the worldwide leader in key global verticals including oil and gas, pulp and paper, mining and metals.
If you recall, ABB entered the DCS business by buying a number of small players. It then pioneered the industry with its 800xA platform that served to bring all the platforms together and position the company for the future.
It’s all about services
The report also notes that the DCS business has continued to be primarily a service business over the past few years, with combined project, engineering and operational services accounting for more than half of total revenues. The Main Automation Contractor (MAC) approach in which the automation vendor manages the overall project and includes a strong project execution and services component, continues to grow stronger and expand.
“For years ABB has cultivated its capability to serve major projects as the Main Automation Contractor,” said ARC Senior Analyst Harry Forbes. “The electric power, motor, and drive capabilities across ABB Group augment its process automation expertise, making the firm an attractive choice when capital projects require large or complex electric power systems, especially offshore and sub-sea systems.”
ABB View
“ABB is well prepared with a broad DCS portfolio including its flagship system 800xA Extended Automation platform, Symphony Plus control system, Freelance process control system for small to medium process applications, as well as its prior generation systems. All ABB control systems offer a secure evolution path forward to next generation technologies to protect and enhance the control system investment over its lifetime,” said Tobias Becker, Head of ABB’s Control Technologies business.
