Flow Research is pleased to announce the launch of our Flowmeter Industry Monitoring Service (FIMS). The purpose of FIMS is to keep subscribers up to date on new developments in the flowmeter market. To provide complete coverage, we have divided the flowmeter industry into three segments:
I. Supplier and Product Information by Technology (Supply side)
II. User Survey and Industry Analysis (Demand Side)
III. Flowmeter Selection Method and Data (Living Database)
As a subscriber, you will receive a report every quarter that provides a complete update on product and supplier developments in the flowmeter industry. You will receive four quarterly reports per year, plus an annual report, covering all the flow technologies. A second set of quarterly reports will present the results of a flowmeter user survey, and place this data in the context of developments in the process industries. You will also receive access to our Living Database, a collection of product specifications for most suppliers of New and Traditional Technology flowmeters.
Why this Service?
We live in a changing world. Think back to Spring 2001. Who could have predicted the September 11 tragedy, the Enron debacle, or the current low price of oil? End-use industries are impacted by political and economic events. FIMS follows these events and explains how they affect the flowmeter industry.
Besides our changing world, the flowmeter industry is changing. New products are being released, mergers and acquisitions are occurring, and the end-use industries are in a state of flux. New Technology flowmeters are replacing Traditional Technology meters. Yet at the same time, new Traditional Technology flowmeters are being introduced. All these developments impact anyone doing business in the flowmeter industry. FIMS describes these developments and interprets their impact on flowmeters. FIMS keeps you abreast of the markets.
Not only is the flowmeter industry changing, user needs and perspectives are also changing. Yet how are suppliers supposed to find out about changes in user needs or their purchase intentions? The best way to find out what users are looking for is to ask them, and we propose to do that. Every quarter, we propose to conduct a flowmeter user survey, weighted approximately according to the industry distribution of flowmeter shipments across technologies. This means, for example, that the chemical industry will be the most represented industry in this survey. By doing this survey every quarter, we expect to establish a baseline of data for evaluating future quarters.
Who the Service is For
Anyone who manufactures or sells flowmeters needs to stay abreast of developments in the field. As a manufacturer, a new product released might be one that impacts your own sales. As a distributor, a new product could be one you want to carry, or one that you will be competing against. As an end-user, you need to know what products are on the market. The FIMS Living Database will serve as a flowmeter selection tool for end-users. As a subscriber to FIMS, you will be among the first to know about new developments among suppliers and in the process industries.
Here are some of the subjects included in the quarterly FIMS reports:
· New flowmeter product announcements
· New technologies under development, e.g., multivariable flowmeters
· Review of joint ventures (JVs), mergers, alliances, and acquisitions
· White papers from manufacturers
· Meeting and conference notices
· Results of tests in the Flow Research flowlab
· Strategies for marketing in the flowmeter industry
· How to develop and expand distribution channels for flow products
Each quarter, FIMS will report on new developments in the following technologies:
Coriolis, magnetic, ultrasonic, vortex, DP, positive displacement, turbine, open channel, thermal, and variable area. FIMS will keep you up to date on new developments in each of these technologies, aware of changes in supplier status, and informed about new products released. You will be completely informed about the flowmeter market.
Every quarter, Flow Research will conduct a user of flowmeter users. We will ask questions about purchase intent, types of flowmeters used, new types of meters being introduced, problems encountered, etc. By regularly talking to end-users about their flowmeter needs, we will quickly be able to spot trends that affect flowmeter purchasing decisions. We will learn more about what types of flowmeters are being used for specific applications. Because we will be doing a user survey every quarter, we will begin developing a track record of what users are saying. This information will be extremely valuable for forecasting purposes.
FIMS will also report on important developments in end-user industries that affect flowmeter suppliers. This includes reporting on plants being built or modified, regulatory changes, and industry trends. This information will help you to know where to target your marketing efforts most effectively. Industries covered include oil & gas, refining, chemical, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, pulp & paper, power, water & wastewater, and other.
Every quarter we will do a survey of flowmeter users. We will then take this information and put it in the context of the process industries. Once we complete the end-user survey, and the analysis of the industries, we will take a look at the end-user survey results in light of the industry analysis. We will also bring our knowledge of the flowmeter markets to bear on this analysis. The result will be an informed interpretation of the end-user survey data, based on the analysis of the process industries and our knowledge of the flowmeter markets.
FIM will closely monitor developments in the end-use industries, including planned projects, product shipment data, and regulatory changes. We will then explain its implications for the flowmeter industry, and interpret the data as it applies to specific types of flowmeters. For example, if the American Gas Association (AGA) approves the use of Coriolis flowmeters for custody transfer of natural gas, what will be the impact on ultrasonic and turbine flowmeter sales? What are users saying about the use of Coriolis flowmeters to measure natural gas flow? What is the impact of the current price of oil on capital spending in the refining industry?
The FIMS Living Database is an online, searchable database of product information from suppliers worldwide. The Living Database of Products is organized by technology (magnetic, ultrasonic, etc.), and within technology by supplier. It contains a representative sampling of the products offered by most of the suppliers worldwide, including summary specifications. For example, the section on magnetic flowmeters includes representative magmeters offered by 32 suppliers worldwide. We currently have product data for the following technologies: Coriolis, ultrasonic, magnetic, vortex, multivariable DP, positive displacement, and turbine. By mid-year, we will also have product data on open channel, thermal, and variable area flowmeters.
The FIMS Living Database is living because it is continuously being updated. As new flow products come out, they enter the Living Database. If products are modified or retired, the Living Database is modified to reflect those new developments. This is why the Living Database is such an excellent flowmeter selection tool. Anyone who is looking for a magnetic flowmeter can use the Living Database to get an overview of all the magnetic flowmeters offered worldwide. Specifications include application, flow range, temperature range, pressure range, approvals, measuring tube material, etc. Product descriptions are also provided, along with pictures of the products. Guidelines for selecting the type of flowmeter, using the paradigm case method, will be included.
The FIMS Living Database also includes a Living Database of Companies. We currently have over 250 flowmeter suppliers in this Database. We are building a Database of distributors as well. Included for each company is contact information and a list of products supplied or carried. We are building this database up over time to include a short paragraph about each company. Other company data will be provided.
The Living Database of Companies can be used in many different ways. Users will find contact information for suppliers there. Suppliers looking for distributors can search for them in the Distributor Database. Distributors looking for suppliers can search for them in the Supplier Database. Companies looking to form alliances will find an exhaustive list of flowmeter suppliers worldwide. The Living Database is living because it is continuously being updated as new companies are formed or merge, or add new product lines. The Living Database of Companies will also contain a Directory of Old Companies that have been bought, merged, or retired.
The FIMS will include all flowmeter technologies, based in part on Flow Research’s extensive analysis of the worldwide flowmeter market. In 2001, Flow Research produced 3220 pages of research on the New Technology flowmeter market, including six separate studies on Coriolis, magnetic, ultrasonic, vortex, and differential pressure (DP) flowmeters. Together with Ducker Research, we also completed a comprehensive study of 300 flowmeter users. No one else has come close to producing such a comprehensive analysis of the flowmeter market.
In 2002, we are researching the Traditional Technology flowmeter market. This includes positive displacement, turbine, open channel, thermal, and variable area flowmeters. By mid-July 2002, we will have completed these studies. At this point, we will have a complete analysis of the worldwide flowmeter market, and will have completed a study on each technology. These studies include product analysis, many company profiles, and complete market size and market share data for each technology. We know who are the leading suppliers in each technology, and what new products have come out.
The information in the market studies will serve as background for the Flow Industry Monitoring Service. However, FIMS will not compete with the flowmeter market studies. Instead it will keep you abreast of market developments that have occurred since the studies came out. It will also keep you informed about developments in end-user industries that affect the ability of companies in those industries to purchase flowmeters.
As a subscriber to FIMS, you will receive the following every quarter, beginning in April 2002:
I. A Quarterly FIMS Report called Developments in Flow
· Two hardcopy issues of Developments in Flow
· Two usernames and passwords enabling you to access Developments in Flow online.
· Flash reports that highlight important new developments that require immediate comment or analysis. Examples could be mergers and acquisitions, new product releases, or important announcements by flowmeter companies. Breaking news about flowmeter suppliers and developments in fieldbus could also be the subject of Flash Reports. Flash Reports will be posted on the FIMS website, and subscribers will be notified electronically about these reports.
· An Annual Review delivered in February that summarizes the key developments in the preceding year.
II. A Quarterly FIMS Report called Flow User Survey and
Industry Analysis
· Two hardcopy issues of Flow User Survey and Industry Analysis
· Two usernames and passwords enabling you to access User Survey and Industry Analysis online.
· Flash reports that highlight important new developments that require immediate comment or analysis in the user industries. Examples could be important announcements by process industry companies about plants being built or modified, announcements about the AGA or API approval of flowmeters for custody transfer, a fire at a chemical plant or refinery, etc. Flash Reports will be posted on the FIMS website, and subscribers will be notified electronically about these reports.
· An Annual Review delivered in February that summarizes the key developments in the preceding year.
III. Two passwords to provide unlimited access to the FIMS Living Database, an online Living Database of Products and Companies. The centerpiece of this database is a searchable inventory of flowmeter products from most suppliers, including specifications, organized by meter type. For example, the FIMS Living Database will include a product analysis and specifications from most ultrasonic flowmeter suppliers. This means you can find, in one place, a concise summary of ultrasonic flowmeters worldwide. The same information will be provided for the other technologies.
This service is unique in the industry, and is the only service of its type focused on the flowmeter industry. FIMS is of interest to manufacturers, distributors, and end-users alike. If you are in the flowmeter industry or if you buy or select flowmeters, FIMS is a “must-have” service!
A one-year subscription to FIMS is available for $7,950. This entitles you to:
I. Four quarterly issues plus one annual issue of Developments in Flow (DIF), a quarterly review of developments in the flow industry. You will receive two hardcopy issues of Developments in Flow each quarter for one year, plus the annual issue in February. You will also receive two passwords to access DIF electronically, on the FIMS website. Each issue of DIF will be in the range of 50 to 100 pages. In the first year, DIF will be published in April, July, October 2002, and January 2003. The annual issue of Developments in Flow will be published in February 2003. You will also receive DIF Flash Reports.
II. Four quarterly issues plus one annual issue of User Survey and Industry Analysis (USIA), a quarterly survey of flowmeter users, and analysis of the process industries. You will receive two hardcopy issues of USIA each quarter for one year, plus the annual issue in February. You will also receive two passwords to access USIA electronically, on the FIMS website. Each issue of USIA will be in the range of 50 to 100 pages. In the first year, USIA will be published in April, July, October 2002, and January 2003. The annual issue of USIA will be published in February 2003. You will also receive USIA Flash Reports.
III. Access to the FIMS Living Database. You will receive two usernames and two passwords allowing two people to have unlimited access to the FIMS Living Database of Products and Companies. The FIMS Living Database includes up to date product specifications covering all the main flow technologies, and a database of Flowmeter Suppliers and Distributors. Once you subscribe you will have immediate access to the FIMS Living Database.
To subscribe, please provide the following information.
Name ______________________________
Title _______________________________
Company ___________________________
Street ______________________________
City _______________________ State/Region ___________________
Postal Code ______________ Country ____________________
Yes! I want to sign up for the Flow Industry Monitoring Service (FIMS).
______ Sign me up for the complete Flow Industry Monitoring Service for one year at $7,950. I will receive one year of Developments in Flow, plus DIF Flash Reports, one year of User Survey and Industry Analysis, plus USIA Flash Reports, and two passwords for unlimited access to the Living Database of Products and Companies. Order by March 31, 2002, and receive this entire package for $6,950. I understand that my service begins immediately and extends through March 31, 2003, and that the first Quarterly Reports will be delivered in April 2002.
______ Sign me up for four issues of Developments in Flow, the Annual Flow Review, and the DIF Flash Reports for $3,250. I will receive my first issue of Developments in Flow in April 2002, but will be immediately eligible to receive Flash Reports.
______ Sign me up for four issues of User Survey and Industry Analysis, the Annual User and Industry Review, and the USIA Flash Reports for $4,950. I will receive my first issue of User Survey and Analysis in April 2002, but will be immediately eligible to receive Flash Reports.
______ Sign me up for access to the Living Database of Products and Companies for $1,975. I understand that my subscription begins immediately, and extends to March 31, 2003.
______ Sign me up for the Living Database of Companies only for $475. I understand that my subscription begins immediately, and extends to March 31, 2003.
______ Sign me up for one year of Developments in Flow and User Survey and Industry Analysis for $6950. Order by March 31, 2002, and receive this combination package for $5950.
______ Sign me up for one
year of Developments in Flow and the FIMS Living Database for
$4600. Order by March 31, 2002 and
receive this combination package for $3950.
All annual
subscriptions ordered on or before March 31, 2002 will begin immediately, and
remain in effect through March 31, 2003.
Order today and immediately begin enjoying the benefits of FIMS!
Our iron-clad
guarantee: If you are not absolutely
delighted with the Flow Industry Monitoring Service, return your first issue of
FIM within 30 days of receiving it, and we will cheerfully refund your
money. This means you can try FIMS at
no risk. – Jesse Yoder, President, Flow
Research
Send your check, payable to Flow Research, to:
FIMS
Flow Research
27 Water St., Suite B7
_____ I have enclosed a
check for the amount due. Mail to Flow
Research at the above address.
_____ Send an invoice to
my attention at the above address for the amount due. Invoices are payable in 30 days.
If you have any questions
about FIMS, please call us at (781) 245-3200.
You can fax your order form to us at (781) 224-7552. Or, send an email to fims@flowresearch.com. You can find additional information about
FIMS on our website at www.flowresearch.com.
Thanks for your
order! If you have any questions, feel
free to send an email to me at jesse@flowresearch.com.
- Jesse Yoder