Robust growth forcast for chemical sensors

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jun 25, 2003

Demand for chemical sensors is forecast to grow 8.6% per year to $3.4 billion in 2006.

Demand for chemical sensors is forecast to grow 8.6% per year to $3.4 billion in 2006.

Three main trends are driving growth: new applications for established sensor products; falling prices for high performance and/or novel sensor types; and product innovation brought about by the use of microfabrication and other high-tech manufacturing techniques.

The fastest growth will be registered in newer technologies, such as optical sensors and biosensors, although nearly all products will benefit from improving performance, lower costs, and the penetration of new markets (especially large volume applications in the motor vehicle, industrial and consumer sectors.) However, in some areas, chemical sensors will continue to face strong competition from alternative analytical technologies.

In addition, key markets - such as industrial safety, emissions monitoring and laboratory research - are maturing, which will limit opportunities for sensors used in these sectors.

These and other trends are presented in "Chemical sensors: liquid, gas and biosensors", a new study from The Freedonia Group.

The large medical/diagnostic market will continue to offer the best opportunities.

Growth in this sector will approach ten percent per year, driven by strong interest in fast-response home and point-of-care testing and monitoring devices.

The motor vehicle market will also record favourable gains due to growth in emerging applications such as cabin air quality and fuel cells, and continued strength in the large lambda sensor segment.

Other fast growing and/or emerging markets include HVAC equipment/indoor air quality sensors, smoke detectors, drug and alcohol detectors, volatile organic compound (VOC) and ozone monitors, explosives detectors, electronic noses and tongues, and chemical and biological warfare agent detectors.

Optical sensors, biosensors and other emerging technologies (such as ultrasound, conductometric and liquid crystal sensors) will record the fastest growth.

Biosensors, the largest product type, will continue to be dominated by glucose monitoring applications, although faster gains are expected in diagnostic tests for cholesterol, cardiac risk, urinary tract infections, cancer and other serious illnesses, as well as in equipment to analyse blood and other critical analytes in patient care.

Demand for optical sensors, which include infra-red, fibre-optic, laser, LED, photoionisation and others, is being driven by the development of lower cost, more durable devices capable of competing in cost-conscious and rugged industrial environments.

In contrast, demand for reaction-based sensors, such as pellistors, will record sluggish gains due to competition from other technologies and maturity in key markets.

"Chemical sensors: liquid, gas and biosensors" is available for $3700 from The Freedonia Group.