Coriolis is the fastest growing sector of the European flowmeter market

Citation

(1999), "Coriolis is the fastest growing sector of the European flowmeter market", Sensor Review, Vol. 19 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.1999.08719aab.003

Coriolis is the fastest growing sector of the European flowmeter market

Coriolis is the fastest growing sector of the European flowmeter market

Keywords Flow, Survey

The coriolis flowmeter market sector continues to outperform the market as a whole in terms of growth in unit sales, according to Global Flow Measurement Instruments, a series of new reports from MarketLine International.

The report reveals:

1. 1.

   Coriolis is the fastest growing flowmeter sector in each of the major European economies, and is forecast to remain so.

2. 2.

   Micro Motion is the dominant coriolis manufacturer in most European markets.

1. Coriolis is the fastest growing flowmeter sector in each of the major European economies, and is forecast to remain so

According to MarketLine, the fastest growing sector in the European flowmeter market between 1994 and 1997 was coriolis. Recording an average annual growth rate of 13.1 per cent between 1994 and 1997, the coriolis sector far outstripped the growth performance of the other leading sectors, namely vortex (7.2 per cent), magnetic (6.3 per cent) and differential pressure (2.4 per cent) (see Figure 1).

Figure 1 Growth rate of market volume for coriolis flowmeters in Europe by country, 1995-1997

This rapid growth has been driven by three major factors:

1. 1.

   The product's high level of accuracy and non-interference in the measurement process.

2. 2.

   An expanding range of applications: for example, both Micro Motion and Krohne have introduced coriolis products aimed at low flow measurement.

3. 3.

   A falling average unit price of coriolis flowmeters.

Non-interference in the measurement process is a significant benefit in high pressure gas applications. Coriolis meters are also able to measure the flow of hydrocarbons, which magnetic flowmeters (another popular choice) are not. In the case of straight-through tubes, they can also be easier to clean ­ an important consideration in applications requiring high degrees of hygiene, such as food and beverage applications.

Although coriolis is still one of the more expensive flow measurement solutions on the market ­ being well above the price point of magnetic flowmeters, let alone DP solutions, prices are now falling.

This was initially as a result of the introduction of the Basis range by Micro Motion and the Rosemount companies, which intended to compensate for lower price by unit by increased volume sales: coriolis flowmeters would be made more attractive relative not only to other mass flow products of rival suppliers, but also to alternative technologies which had previously competed successfully through a lower price. Other manufacturers were forced to follow suit in a Dutch auction based on price, sending the price per unit into a downward spiral.

According to MarketLine, continuing price falls are expected to keep the growth on coriolis flowmeters ahead of other sectors in the major European markets (see Table I).

2. Micro Motion is the dominant coriolis manufacturer in most European markets

Despite strong competition from some of its local rivals, Micro Motion is the market leader in all five major European markets. Its weakest market is Germany, where it faces strong competition not only from Endress & Hauser and Krohne, but also Heinrichs and Rheonik. However, Micro Motion has over 50 per cent in France and Italy, as well as a share of almost 70 per cent in the UK.

The Global Flow Measurement Instruments series consists of three reports which cover the Asian, European and North and South American regions. Each report is available at a cost of £1,495. The full series is priced at £3,795.

For further information contact Russ Milburn. Tel: +44 (0)171 316 0001; Fax +44 (0)171 316 0002; E-mail: rmilburn@datamonitor.com