ABB says the ARC Advisory Group’s study, titled “Distributed Control Systems Worldwide Outlook”, has found it has retained its leading worldwide market position in the DCS market.
According to the study, the distributed control system market had suffered more than anticipated in 2009. However, it also found ABB had increased its worldwide market share in 2009.
The DCS global market was affected in 2009 by a decline in large automation projects, many of which were either put on hold or cancelled. Early 2010 data shows that these conditions are gradually improving for the automation suppliers.
ARC forecasts that market growth should accelerate after 2011, but not near the levels prior to the recent recession. The compound annual growth rate for this market through 2014 is predicted at 4%.
ARC says manufacturers face cost pressures, including the need for end users in all industries to reduce energy consumption, and optimize raw materials costs. These goals can be attained by integrating the automation and power/energy domains of the manufacturing process, and utilizing the global IEC61850 standard to link intelligent electrical devices.
According to ABB, the worlds of automation and electrification are becoming increasingly entwined due to the substantial potential for energy savings, increased reliability and uptime, and reduced maintenance costs.