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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Industrial Companies Get Smart with Wireless Sensor Networks

SAN DIEGO, Calif., September 18, 2007 – One in three industrial companies use wireless sensors today and nearly half are planning wireless solutions over the next 18 months, according to a recent survey by ON World with 115 industrial end users.  An intense global marketplace, high energy costs, and ongoing environmental demands are driving industrial companies to adopt technologies such as wireless sensing and control to improve production efficiencies while making their companies more Green.

Emerging Markets

“Industrial companies are most interested in adopting new wireless solutions such as machine health, environmental and emissions monitoring, safety, and structural integrity,” says Mareca Hatler, ON World’s Director of Research.  Thirty-nine percent of interviewees who are planning wireless solutions are targeting machine health.

Positive user growth rates for planned wireless applications compared with current ones include the following:
                                        
        User growth rate:

Machine health

Process monitoring 

Asset monitoring  

Facility environmental 

Tank level monitoring

Relief valves/steam traps

Safety & security

Total

122%

   32%

300%

     14%

  75%

    14%

           86%

  33%

ON World predicts that emerging markets will make up 65% of the global industrial wireless sensor network revenues in 2011.

Wireless Standards

There are several standards efforts underway.  The first, WirelessHART, has recently been ratified and products based on this standard are expected in 2008. 

The second, ISA SP100, has a broader focus including process automation, RFID, and facility management. As the SP100 continues to work on its first specification, the ZigBee standard is gaining traction in several vertical and emerging markets.  The advanced features of the upcoming “ZigBee Pro specification,” the trend by the IEEE of pushing more functionality into 802.15.4 chips, and in-fighting among the large OEMS is creating opportunities for new entrants in the industrial WSN ecosystem.

ON World’s survey with 108 industry experts representing the leading automation and control OEMs, systems integrators, and component suppliers found that 55% plan to support the in-progress SP100, 40% support WirelessHART, and 32% support ZigBee.

In 2011, ON World projects that industrial wireless sensor networking systems and services will be worth $4.6 billion.

The report is available from: http://onworld.com/smartindustries

About ON World:
ON World Inc. provides world class business intelligence on smart technology markets. Our research reports and information services are sold to Fortune 1000 companies, startups, and investors worldwide. More information is available from http://www.onworld.com.

Media Contact:
Mary E. Purvis
email: purvis at onworld.com
ph: 858-259-2397

 


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