Flow Research is pleased to announce the launch of our Worldflow™ Monitoring Service. The purpose of Worldflow™ is to provide subscribers with the tools they need to make informed decisions about flow-related strategies and purchases. As a subscriber to Worldflow™, you will receive the following decision-making tools.
I. Market Barometer (Quarterly) – “State of the Industry”
II. User Perspective (Quarterly) – Quarterly Survey of Flowmeter Users
III. Process Industry Monitor (PIM) (Quarterly) – Quarterly Report that tracks significant events in the Process Industries and assesses their impact on the flowmeter market
IV. Living Database (Continuous) – Centralized Database of Products and Companies
As a subscriber, you will receive three reports every quarter that contain highly valuable data you can use in your decision-making. One report presents the “state of the industry.” Another report presents the results of an end-user survey of flowmeter users. A third report highlights developments in the process industries. An annual review highlights the important developments in each area. 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?
The number one reason for the Worldflow™ Monitoring Service is that no one is systematically collecting data on the perspective of end-users. End-user surveys made with market studies only occur every few years, and may not always follow the same methodology. They also cannot capture changes in user perspective caused by unexpected events, like September 11, the drop in oil prices, or the Enron debacle. We propose to do a user survey every quarter, so that we can establish a pattern. We will immediately be able to spot changes in buying patterns because we do the interviewing every few months. We will report these changes back to you.
A second reason for the Worldflow™ Monitoring Service is to collect data on the process industries. Is capital spending up or down in the refining industry? Are chemical shipments increasing or decreasing? What new regulations are coming into effect that will have an impact on the need to buy instrumentation? Sure, you can get some of this data yourself if you have time to read the industry journals, interview people from the American Petroleum Institute, or digest reports from the Chemical Manufacturers Association. But who has the time? We monitor the process industries, interview key players, and present the relevant data together in a single report. Process Industry Monitor will closely follow the oil & gas, refining, chemical, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, pulp & paper, power, wastewater, and other process industries.
Of course, collecting the data does very little good if you don’t know what it means. For example, Flow Research has data showing the industry shipments for each type of flowmeter. So we know what types of meters are used in each industry. If an industry is growing, the sales prospects for flowmeters used in that industry are improved. But without the data on what industries the meters are used in, knowing that the wastewater is growing wouldn’t tell you what flowmeters people are like to buy. So PIM collects data on the process industries, presents the data that’s important for flow, and explains the implications of this data for the flowmeter market.
A third reason for the Worldflow™ Monitoring Service is to collect data on the flowmeter market. New products are introduced regularly. Companies merge, form alliances, and acquire other companies. Again, some of this information is publicly available, if you know where to go. But who has time to keep up with everything that’s going on in the flowmeter industry. And how do you distinguish what’s important from what’s not important?
This is where the Worldflow™ Monitoring Service comes in. We monitor the flowmeter industry on an ongoing basis. And we can tell which developments are important because we place these developments in the context of the entire flowmeter market. We know which technologies are growing and at what rate, and which ones are declining. We have access to flowmeter data going back to 1992. In the Market Barometer, we report the important events and interpret them in light of our knowledge of the industry.
For example, here are three products introduced in the past six months:
· Rosemount’s 3051S pressure transmitter
· Panametrics’ GC868 clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter for measuring gas flow
· J-Tec’s JI and JW series of multivariable vortex flowmeters
How important are these products? How do they fit in with their respective markets (pressure, ultrasonic, and vortex)? We report these events, but we also put them in context.
A fourth reason for the Worldflow™ Monitoring Service is to have a centralized location for flowmeter selection purposes. For the past year, we have been collecting data on different types of flowmeters, including specifications, photos, and descriptions. We have assembled an extensive database that includes representative flowmeters from all the main suppliers of Coriolis, magnetic, ultrasonic, vortex, multivariable, positive displacement, and turbine flowmeters. We have extensive data on several hundred flowmeters. We expect to have data on the remaining technologies by mid-year. This data will be presented in our Living Database
Anyone who wants to find out what products are available can go to the Living Database and do a search. This search will reveal who the suppliers are for the technology worldwide, and give a presentation of their products. This presentation includes specifications, photos, and descriptions. Guidelines for flowmeter selection using the paradigm case method are also given in the Living Database. Because the information is centralized for all technologies, the Living Database is a much more efficient method of flowmeter selection than visiting one supplier after another. Anyone who needs more in-depth information can always contact the supplier directly.
A fifth reason for the Worldflow™ Monitoring Service is that 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. The Process Industry Monitor 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. The Market Barometer describes these developments and interprets their impact on flowmeters. It 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, will conduct a flowmeter user survey, including all flowmeter technologies. By doing this survey every quarter, we expect to establish a baseline of data for evaluating future quarters. The results of this survey will be presented in the User Perspective Quarterly Report.
This Service is Designed for You
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 Worldflow™ Living Database will serve as a flowmeter selection tool for end-users. As a subscriber to Worldflow™, 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 Barometer reports:
· New flowmeter product announcements with discussion
· 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
The Barometer will report on developments in flow, and place them in the context of the flowmeter industry. We will interpret these events so you understand their significance. We will offer marketing strategies, and discuss the value of different distribution channels, including use of the Internet. In addition to the above, the Barometer will contain a “State of the Flowmeter Industry” report. This report will incorporate flow industry developments, the user survey results in the User Perspective, and the process data reported in Process Industry Monitor to form a flowmeter industry profile.
Each quarter, the Barometer will report on new developments in the following technologies:
Coriolis, magnetic, ultrasonic, vortex, DP, positive displacement, turbine, open channel, thermal, and variable area. The Barometer will keep you up to date on new developments in these technologies, aware of changes in supplier status, and informed about new products released. Best of all, the Barometer will put these events in perspective so you understand what they mean.
Each quarter, Flow Research will conduct a survey 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. The user survey will be reported in the User Perspective.
The User Perspective will contain a report on that quarter’s survey of flowmeter users. We will be looking for both quantitative and qualitative results. Quantitative results include evidence of purchase intent, types of flowmeters purchased, and percent of meters used for different applications. Qualitative results include application problems encountered with flowmeters, reasons for using a particular type of flowmeter, and reasons for changing types of meters. The User Perspective will present both quantitative and qualitative data.
In addition to presenting the data, the User Perspective will contain an interpretation of the data that places it in the context of the flowmeter market. In addition to our market data, Flow Research has access to a number of flowmeter user surveys done previously. We can compare new survey information to previous surveys, and to our own market data, to see whether the answers are the continuation of an existing trend, or the beginning of a new one. The results of the process industry analysis given in Process Industry Monitor will also be incorporated into the interpretation of user survey data. Because we already have a wealth of flowmeter data to begin with, we can quickly spot new trends that may not show up elsewhere for a year or more.
III. Process Industry Monitor
Process Industry Monitor (PIM) will 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 market and product managers know where to target their marketing efforts most effectively. Industries covered include oil & gas, refining, chemical, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, pulp & paper, power, water & wastewater, and other.
PIM 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? Just as we do in the User Perspective, we will use our wealth of flowmeter data as a basis for putting the events that occur in the process industries into the context of the flowmeter industry.
Flowmeter Industry Flash reports 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 Worldflow™ website, and subscribers will be notified electronically about these reports. Flowmeter Industry Flash Reports are included with subscriptions to the Flow Market Barometer, the User Perspective, and the Living Database.
Process Industry Flash Reports highlight important new developments that require immediate comment or analysis in the process industries. Examples could be important announcements by an oil company about plants being built or modified, announcements about the AGA or API approval of Coriolis flowmeters for custody transfer, a fire at a chemical plant or refinery, etc. Flash Reports will be posted on the Worldflow™ website, and subscribers will be notified electronically about these reports. Process Industry Flash Reports are included with subscriptions to Process Industry Monitor.
The Worldflow™ Living Database is an online, searchable database of product information from suppliers worldwide. The Living Database of Products is organized by flowmeter technology (magnetic, ultrasonic, etc). Within technology, it is organized by supplier. The Living Database contains a representative sample of the products offered by most of the suppliers worldwide. Products included have a Product Profile, including summary specifications, photos, and descriptions. For example, the section on ultrasonic flowmeters includes profiles on 78 ultrasonic flowmeters offered by 41 different 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 Worldflow™ Living Database is living because it is continuously being updated. As new flow products come out, their Product Profile enters 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 Worldflow™ 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 Worldflow™ Monitoring Service 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 survey of 300 flowmeter users worldwide. 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 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 Worldflow™ Monitoring Service. However, the Monitoring Service 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, and the changing needs of flowmeter users.
As a subscriber to the Worldflow™ Monitoring Service, you will receive the following every quarter, beginning in April 2002:
I. A Quarterly Worldflow™ Report called Flow Market Barometer
· Two hardcopy issues of the Flow Market Barometer, including a “State of the Flow Industry” report
· Two usernames and passwords enabling you to access the Worldflow™ website, where the Barometer will be posted
· Flowmeter Industry Flash Reports delivered electronically
II. A
Quarterly Worldflow™ Report called User Perspective
· Two hardcopy issues of User Perspective
· Two usernames and passwords enabling you to access the Worldflow™ website, where User Perspective will be posted
· Flow Industry and Process Industry Flash Reports delivered electronically
III. A Quarterly Worldflow™ Report
called Process Industry Monitor
· Two hardcopy issues of Process Industry Monitor
· Two usernames and passwords enabling you to access the Worldflow™ website, where Process Industry Monitor will be posted
· Process Industry Flash Reports delivered electronically
IV. Access to the Worldflow™ Living Database, an online Living Database of Products and Companies. You will receive two passwords for unlimited access to the Living Database, including both products and companies.
This service is unique in the industry, and is the only service of its type focused on the flowmeter industry. Worldflow™ Monitoring Service is of interest to manufacturers, distributors, and end-users alike. If you are in the flowmeter industry or if you buy or select flowmeters, Worldflow™ is a “must-have” service!
A one-year subscription to the Worldflow™ Monitoring Service is available for $7,500. This entitles you to:
I. Four quarterly issues plus one annual issue of Flow Market Barometer, a quarterly review of developments in the flow industry. You will receive two hardcopy issues of Flow Market Barometer each quarter for one year, plus the annual issue in February. You will also receive two passwords to access the Barometer electronically, on the Worldflow™ website. Each issue of the Barometer will be in the range of 50 to 100 pages. In the first year, the Barometer will be published in April, July, October 2002, and January 2003. You will also receive Flowmeter Industry Flash Reports.
II. Four quarterly issues plus one annual issue of Flow User Perspective, a quarterly survey of flowmeter users. You will receive two hardcopy issues of the Perspective each quarter for one year, plus the annual issue in February. You will also receive two passwords to access the Perspective electronically, on the Worldflow™ website. Each issue of the Perspective will be in the range of 50 to 100 pages. In the first year, the Perspective will be published in June, September, December 2002, and March 2003.
III. Four quarterly issues plus one annual issue of Process Industry Monitor (PIM), a quarterly review of important developments in the process industries. PIM also discusses how these developments affect the flowmeter industry. You will receive two hardcopy issues of PIM each quarter for one year, plus the annual issue in February. You will also receive two passwords to access the PIM electronically, on the Worldflow™ website. Each issue of PIM will be in the range of 50 to 100 pages. In the first year, PIM will be published in May, August, November 2002, and February 2003.
IV. Access to the Worldflow™ Living Database. You will receive two usernames and two passwords allowing two people to have unlimited access to the Living Database of Products and Companies. The 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 Worldflow™ Living Database.
Worldflow Subscription Packages