welcome to

FlowTimes - July 2007

Your Update on Flow, Temperature, and Pressure Measurement from Flow Research

Editor: Dr. Jesse Yoder; Volume 8, Number 2  - ISSN 1350-7204

Welcome to the July 2007 issue of FlowTimes! This issue brings you up-to-date on some exciting new studies we just announced at Flow Research. Chances are good that these are two studies you've been waiting for for a long time. Besides these two  new flowmeter studies, we are finishing up our steam flow study and our pressure transmitter study. See below for details, including information on a user survey just completed. This issue also reports on several acquisitions that have occurred in the past few months. We hope you enjoy this issue of Flowtimes!

1. Letter from the President. This letter lets you know about two exciting new studies that are underway at Flow Research.  These new studies involve the two fastest growing flowmeter markets. It also brings you up-to-date on our new steam flow and pressure transmitter studies.  Click here to read the letter.

2. Flow Research has begun work on our new worldwide Coriolis flowmeter study. The Coriolis flowmeter market is continuing to expand. This will be the 3rd edition of our study, The World Market for Coriolis Flowmeters, which was previously published in 2001 and 2003. End-users continue to be attracted to the enhanced accuracy and reliability of Coriolis flowmeters. This study will be a complete  update on the market, including straight tube and bent tube meters, line sizes, and progress on gas and steam flow measurement. For complete information, including details on becoming a Founding Sponsor, go to www.flowcoriolis.com. 

3. Work is already underway on the 3rd edition of our worldwide ultrasonic flowmeter study. This study, The World Market for Ultrasonic Flowmeters, was previously published in 2001 and 2003. A lot has happened to this market since our last study. The ultrasonic flowmeter market, along with the Coriolis flowmeter market, remains one of the two fastest growing flowmeter markets. The custody transfer market for natural gas remains one of the hottest segments in flow, driven by increased demand for energy and rising prices for natural gas. Mergers and acquisitions have changed the dynamic of the supplier community. The ultrasonic study is our flagship study, and you can expect a comprehensive and complete look at the ultrasonic flowmeter market. For complete information, including details on becoming a Founding Sponsor, go to www.flowultrasonic.com. 

4. Itron Completes Acquisition of Actaris Metering Systems . Two of the leading suppliers of electricity meters in the world have combined with the acquisition by Itron of Actaris Metering Systems.  Originally announced in February of this year, the acquisition was finalized on April 18, 2007.  Valued at more than US$1.6 billion in cash and debt retirement, the new company is one of the largest metering companies in the world with combined sales of more than US$1.6 billion. For more information, go to Itron Acquires Actaris.

5. Flow Research has completed a survey of steam flow end-users. We asked users what type of steam they are measuring, what their applications are, and whether they plan to change technologies in the future. Types of steam include wet, saturated, and superheated.  The survey also identifies problems users have had with their steam flow measurement. This end-user survey has already been published. 

Our new steam flow study, The World Market for Steam Flow Measurement, will be published in the next several weeks. This study will tell you what types of flowmeters are being used for steam flow measurement, and who are the main suppliers to this market.  It looks at both widely used technologies, such as DP flow and vortex, and at emerging technologies of steam flow, such as Coriolis and ultrasonic.  For more information on the steam flow study, and on the end-user survey, go to www.steamflows.com.

6. Racine Acquires Asahi/America’s Vortex Flowmeter Line . Racine Federated Inc. has completed the acquisition of Asahi/America’s line of vortex flowmeters.  This product line includes both the Universal and more recent FloSonex vortex flowmeters.  The agreement was originally announced by the presidents of the two firms, John Erskine of Racine and Harry Aiba of Asahi/America in March of this year. For more details, go to Racine Acquires Asahi Vortex.

7. We are looking even deeper into the DP flowmeter market with a brand new edition of our pressure transmitter study, first published in January 2004.  The World Market for Pressure Transmitters, 2^nd Edition, takes a complete new look at the fast-growing pressure transmitter market.  The study includes multivariable, differential pressure, gage, and absolute pressure transmitters, and updates the adoption rates for Foundation Fieldbus and Profibus communication protocols. 

We are also doing an end-user survey that will provide data on user preferences on a variety of topics, including accuracy, purchasing trends, and wireless transmitters. The user survey will be published as a supplement to the pressure transmitter study.  The worldwide pressure transmitter study will be published in July 2007. For more details, go to www.worldpressure.com. 

8. Flow Research finds a one billion dollar Differential Pressure (DP) flowmeter market. Flow Research has released a new study on DP flowmeters and primary elements. We included both DP transmitters used for flow and primary elements in our study, instead of just looking at DP transmitters. Examples of primary elements are orifice plates, Venturis, and Pitot tubes that place a restriction in the flowstream so that differential pressure can be measured. For more details on this landmark study, go to www.flowdp.com. 

9. Get a free trial subscription to the Worldflow Monitoring Service. Our newly expanded Worldflow Monitoring Service includes quarterly reports and timely updates:

Market Barometer - A Quarterly Report on the flow, temperature, and pressure markets

Energy Monitor - A Quarterly Report on the oil & gas, refining, power, and renewables industries

Flash Reports - Breaking news in instrumentation and energy

Worldflow Online - 24/7 access to market data, strategies, and past Worldflow reports going back to 2002

The Worldflow Monitoring Service features a new website, www.worldflow.com, which serves as the launching pad for Worldflow Online. To receive a free trial subscription to this valuable service, go to www.worldflow.com and fill out the Free Trial Subscription Form, or send an email to jesse@flowresearch.com with your contact information. Please be sure to include your mailing address when requesting a free trial subscription.

What do you think of FlowTimes? We welcome your comments! Please send any comments or suggestions to Flow Research, or by email to jesse@flowresearch.com. 

FlowTimes is published by Flow Research, Inc.

Editor: 

Dr. Jesse Yoder - jesse@flowresearch.com 

Associate Editors: 

Norm Weeks - norm@flowresearch.com

Belinda Burum - belinda@flowresearch.com 

Research Assistant:

Heather Carroll - heather@flowresearch.com 

Flow Research, Inc.

27 Water Street

Wakefield, MA 01880

(781) 245-3200

(781) 224-7552 (fax)

info@flowresearch.com 

www.flowresearch.com 

Previous Issue of FlowTimes - Formerly Hot Hot Topics

Back to Flow Research