Gas Detector Market Overview
The
gas detector market is forecast
to reach $2.96 billion by 2025,
growing at a CAGR of 4% during 2019-2025. Growth of the gas detector market can be attributed to increasing application of gas detectors in building automation systems and industries such as mining, oil and gas, and others. Increasing investments by manufacturers for development of smart gas detectors and integration of gas detectors with wireless technology including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Wi-MAX, ZigBee, HART Protocol; and artificial intelligence is stoking demand for gas detection systems.
Gas Detector Market Report Coverage
The report: “Gas Detector Market – Forecast (2019-2025)”, by IndustryARC covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the Gas Detector Market.
By Sensor Type: Ultrasonic Sensor, Electrochemical Gas Sensor, Infrared Sensor, Semiconductor Sensor, Others
By Product: Fixed Gas Detector, Portable Gas Detector
By Application: Oil and Gas, Industrial, Mining, Building Automation, Commercial, Residential, Others
By Geography: North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC),Rest of World (RoW)
Key Takeaways
- The gas detector market is a moderately fragmented market with top five players accounting for a market share of 30-40% in 2018.
- The gas detectors market registered a major share in mining applications in 2018, owing to stringent safety regulations in this industry.
- The North American market holds major share owing to increase in usage of gas detectors in the oil and gas, mining and building automation applications.
- Adoption of wireless gas detectors and integration of AI technology for development of smart gas detectors is set to drive the market.
Gas Detector Market Segment Analysis - By Application
The application of gas detectors in the mining industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.83% during 2019-2025. In the mining industry, gas detectors play a key role in safeguarding against accidents caused by toxic gases, vapors and other hazardous substances in underground mines. In recent years, companies are manufacturing gas detectors integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies which aid predictive maintenance, analysis of real-time data and in sending warnings to miners situated at different locations within the mines during gas leakages. Companies such as Canada-based Motion Metrics, Norway-based TOMRA, and Brazil-based VALE have adopted this technology in manufacturing equipment for gas detection. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), almost 75% of methane emissions are due to coal mining activities. Rising adoption of gas detectors in mining for enabling early detection of leakage of gases such as methane and others is set to drive the gas detectors market.
Gas Detector Market Segment Analysis - By Geography
The North American region is leading the gas detector market in terms of revenue share, and held a 28% share in 2018. In North America, the utilization of gas detectors has been increasing in mines, especially in coal mines, in order to reduce methane emissions. In 2016, the U.S. faced nearly a four-month-long gas leakage which discharged nearly 100,000 metric tons of methane from a ruptured well of Aliso Canyon storage facility in southern California. Incidents like these have led to an increase in adoption of gas detectors in industries such as mining, oil and gas and others. This is set to fuel demand for gas detectors in the North America region.
Gas Detector Market Drivers
Stringent Government Regulations
Stringent regulations pertaining to workers’ safety in manufacturing industries coupled with the need for mitigating risks has boosted deployment of gas detection systems. In 2016, the U.S. EPA released a regulation called Quad Oa which recommends inspection for leak detection and repair on oil and gas industry operation sites such as gas plants, compressor stations and others by using cameras equipped with Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) or Method 21 devices. According to EPA, the inspection of leak detection in this industry should be done every quarter or bi-annual of the year. Adoption of gas detectors with integration of OGI technology in oil and gas industries is set to fuel demand for the gas detectors market.
Evolution of Communication Protocol for Wireless Integration of Gas Detectors
The evolution of standardized digital communications, such as the Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) protocol, can provide reliable communication and safety alerts during gas leakages. The HART protocol is a two-way communication protocol that provides data access between gas detectors and control systems, and offers real-time benefits to industries in relating accurate data to systems. Gas detector OEMs are using HART protocol technology for development of wireless gas detectors and this has paved the way for usage of gas detectors in many industries. In 2017, U.S.-based MSA Safety Inc. developed Ultima X5000 gas detector with HART 7 protocol, which can provide reliable information to plant control systems through alarms and safety alerts during gas leakage in industries such as mining, oil & gas and others.
Gas Detector Market Challenges
High Cost and Maintenance of Gas Sensors
The major challenge for gas detectors is the high cost and maintenance. Gas detectors are extensively used in industries to protect personnel and equipment from harmful gases. Since gas detectors find application in varied temperatures ranging from extremely low to extremely high, the sensor’s life is impacted. According to various gas detector manufacturing companies, the usual operating temperature range for gas detectors is typically -30°C to +50°C. If the temperature is beyond this range, the sensitivity of sensors is reduced. Due to the temperature fluctuations in industries such as oil and gas, mining and others, there is a necessity for frequent replacement of sensors. High cost of gas detectors and high operational expenditure for maintenance of gas sensors by end users is hampering growth of the gas detectors market.
Market Landscape
As of 2018, the market for gas detectors remained moderately fragmented with the top five players accounting for 30-40% of the market share. Major players in the gas detector market include ABB, MSA Safety Inc, Honeywell International Inc, Emerson Electric Co., and RIKEN KEIKI Co., Ltd. Acquisitions of companies and product launches are key strategies adopted by players in the gas detectors market.
Partnerships/Mergers/Acquisitions
In 2019, MSA Safety Inc. acquired Sierra Monitor Corporation which is a provider of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions. This acquisition will help MSA Safety Inc. enhance product development of gas detectors through use of cloud technology and wireless connectivity.
In 2019, Teledyne Technologies Inc. acquired 3M’s gas and flame detection business unit. This acquisition was made in order to develop better products and to win a higher number of contracts for deploying gas detectors from industries such as oil and gas, mining and others.
R&D Investments/Funding
In 2018, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA won a five-year contract, worth $1.3m, from three major operators for the supply of more than 1,700 portable gas detection equipment. Under this contract, DragerWerk supplies X-am portable gas detectors to 23 platforms across the North Sea. These detectors can be deployed in on and offshore platforms for monitoring combustible gases and vapors such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide. These type of contracts are set to drive the gas detectors market.
Additionally, there has been significant growth in R&D investments from manufacturers for development of products with increased operational efficiency and reduced costs. In 2018, ABB recorded a total expenditure of $2 billion for development of new products including gas detectors. In early 2019, ABB launched Ability mobile gas leak detection systems which can be mounted on drones. These systems enable leak detection up to 1000 times faster than conventional gas detectors. This is anticipated to continue in the future, thereby increasing the likelihood of development of effective gas detection equipment which can detect more number of gases simultaneously.
Gas Detector Market Research Scope:
The base year of the study is 2018, with forecast done up to 2025. The study presents a thorough analysis of the competitive landscape, taking into account the market shares of the leading companies. These provide the key market participants with the necessary business intelligence and help them understand the future of the Gas Detector market. The assessment includes the forecast, an overview of the competitive structure, the market shares of the competitors, as well as the market trends, market demands, market drivers, market challenges, and product analysis. The market drivers and restraints have been assessed to fathom their impact over the forecast period. This report further identifies the key opportunities for growth while also detailing the key challenges and possible threats. The key areas of focus include the types of gas detectors, and their specific applications in the oil and gas, mining, building automation, and other industrial sector.
