Datacom Cabling Market to Turn Around in 2004
After a slight increase in 2003, the building datacom cabling market will enjoy double-digit growth in 2004 due to an increased demand for broadband applications, according to a study by FTM Consulting, Hummelstown, Pa. The report, titled “U.S. Building Fiber and Copper Cabling Systems: 2003,” blames market saturation in the late '90s and the economic downturn for the recent steep declines in the cabling market. However, the study predicts that over the next five years the fiber cable market will grow at a 17% rate, thanks to the rising popularity of horizontal cabling applications like storage area networks, switch-to-switch interconnectivity, and fiber-to-the-zone. Industry experts predict that fiber-to-the-desk (FTTD) will be the most prevalent technology when it becomes available in 2005. The study reports that the dominant cabling inside buildings will shift from copper to fiber cable, which will account for 61.1% of the total market, an increase from its 41.4% share in 2002.
World Lighting Demand to Reach $102 Billion by 2006
Global economic growth and the move toward more energy-efficient products will stimulate the demand for lighting equipment, according to the Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industrial market research firm. The world market is expected to increase by 5.3% per year through 2006. The North American market is projected to grow slightly slower at an increase of 4.7% per year through 2006.
The increased popularity of light emitting diodes (LEDs) stands to have the greatest effect on the lighting market. The alternative lighting technology will still require fixtures, helping to push that market beyond that of lamps. As an alternative to standard lights, however, LEDs could cut into lamp demand. The report also finds that the construction market represented two-thirds of total demand in 2001, and will continue to see above-average growth prospects through 2006.
