News Article
Global laser systems market escalates 5 percent
The European market turned around in 2013 with double-digit growth
The global industrial laser systems market reached a volume of US$10.7 billion in 2013, up 5 percent compared to the previous year.
According to the annual market survey from Optech Consulting the market for laser systems for macro-processing, including mainly cutting, welding, and marking, was up 7 percent and reached a volume of US$ 8.2 billion.
The laser macro-processing systems market did better than the global machine tool market which decreased by 9 percent in 2013. The market for laser systems for micro-processing, accounting for a volume of US$ 2.5 billion, suffered a 1 percent decline in 2013, in line with globally weak demand for semiconductor capital equipment.
Laser micro-processing systems are mainly used for the manufacturing of semiconductors, solar cells, printed circuit boards, and flat panel displays.
The 5 percent growth rate of the total industrial laser systems market for 2013 falls short of the long-term compound annual growth rate of nearly 10 percent for the last ten years.
The comparably weak growth in 2013 was mainly caused by decreasing demand in the Asia Pacific Rim region in the second half of the year. Including the market heavyweights of China, Japan, and Korea the region consumes just over 50 percent of the laser materials processing systems.
Demand in Europe, accounting for a global share of about 30 percent increased by more than 10 percent on a US$ basis (the Euro/US$ exchange rate increased by 3.3 percent), spurred by increased demand in the large markets of Germany, France, and Italy.
The figures signal a remarkable turn-around from the previous year when Europe was the least performing laser systems market with a decrease of 8 percent on a US$ basis.
Laser systems demand in 2013 also increased in the Americas, which account for about 15 percent of the global volume. While the United States market cooled in 2013 after three years of strong growth, Latin America contributed a double-digit increase.
According to the annual market survey from Optech Consulting the market for laser systems for macro-processing, including mainly cutting, welding, and marking, was up 7 percent and reached a volume of US$ 8.2 billion.
The laser macro-processing systems market did better than the global machine tool market which decreased by 9 percent in 2013. The market for laser systems for micro-processing, accounting for a volume of US$ 2.5 billion, suffered a 1 percent decline in 2013, in line with globally weak demand for semiconductor capital equipment.
Laser micro-processing systems are mainly used for the manufacturing of semiconductors, solar cells, printed circuit boards, and flat panel displays.
The 5 percent growth rate of the total industrial laser systems market for 2013 falls short of the long-term compound annual growth rate of nearly 10 percent for the last ten years.
The comparably weak growth in 2013 was mainly caused by decreasing demand in the Asia Pacific Rim region in the second half of the year. Including the market heavyweights of China, Japan, and Korea the region consumes just over 50 percent of the laser materials processing systems.
Demand in Europe, accounting for a global share of about 30 percent increased by more than 10 percent on a US$ basis (the Euro/US$ exchange rate increased by 3.3 percent), spurred by increased demand in the large markets of Germany, France, and Italy.
The figures signal a remarkable turn-around from the previous year when Europe was the least performing laser systems market with a decrease of 8 percent on a US$ basis.
Laser systems demand in 2013 also increased in the Americas, which account for about 15 percent of the global volume. While the United States market cooled in 2013 after three years of strong growth, Latin America contributed a double-digit increase.
