A growing market
The total automation market is tracing trend growth exceeding GDP.
Growth is driven by investments in new products, the on-going rationalization of
production control and logistics, plus the rationalization of industrial
processes.
The market for automation products progressed positively in 2005 after a
rally the previous year. The primary driver of the market gains are rising
manufacturing investment.
The Automation business area's customers can be
divided into three main groups:
- Technical consultants and systems integrators
responsible for all or parts of automation installations for end-customers.
- Machinery manufacturers that embed automation
equipment in their own products.
- Various types of end-customer:
- Customers’ in-house project management
functions undertaking installations.
- Beijer Electronics assumes total
responsibility, providing the product itself and undertaking the
installation.
The HMI Products business area markets and sells proprietary operator systems
globally, via different channels depending on market. The Automation business
area is responsible for sales on the domestic market (Sweden, Norway and
Finland) where Beijer Electronics is a leading, well-renowned player. Export
market customers are serviced through two distribution media:
- Global corporations like ABB and Mitsubishi Electric that sell products on
a brand label basis.
- Beijer Electronics’ export resources that sell operator terminals via
distributors or direct to end-customers under Beijer Electronics’ EXTER,
CIMREX, H-series and other brands.
- Hitech Electronics’ Taiwanese sales resources and its network of
distributors in HMI products and LCD modules.
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