Global Clean Water Needs Drive Growth for Metering Pumps

The global metering pump market is expected to experience moderate growth during the next few years. Bouncing back from the economic slowdown, pent-up demand for metering pumps has been converted into revenue. Investments across industries and regions show demand for metering pumps for both expansions and replacement requirements. Because of the expansion and modernization of facilities, an increase in municipal applications in the water and wastewater industry will provide momentum to the demand for metering pumps used for chemical dosing. The rise in population is expected to fuel the need for clean water and proper sanitation, which will broaden the market scope. Increased demand for oil and petroleum products in key growth markets—such as Asia, the Middle East, and the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries—and continued investments in subsea exploration and development will facilitate the adoption of advanced pumping technologies. The importance of environmental compliance and energy efficiency in this end-user space will also bolster demand. Other industries, such as pharmaceuticals and food and beverage, have a growing need for metering pumps in several manufacturing processes. End users in these industries must follow sanitary requirements, which will require metering pumps, providing more demand for this equipment. Government legislation to address environmental issues and the need to reduce energy costs will contribute to growth in the metering pump market. For example, a number of regulations govern the water and wastewater industry. This industry, which contains the largest share of end users for metering pumps, is expected to contribute to demand. Improving plant efficiency is a high priority, and metering pumps that comply with energy efficiency requirements are expected to be readily adopted by end users.

Regional Analysis

Figure 1 shows the revenue trend for the global metering pump market from 2010 to 2020. In terms of pump type, the diaphragm metering pump will have a significant portion of market revenue. Diaphragm and piston metering pumps will experience moderate growth rates. The North American market is on track to recover as the real estate industry emerges from the recession and employment rises. Pent-up demand is expected to have a positive impact on the metering pump market. The boom in shale oil and gas in this region is expected to attract investments across key industries as energy costs decrease. In Europe, however, the debt crisis continues to hamper metering pump demand because end users are unwilling to invest in new equipment. While Western Europe struggles to maintain at least a stable level of growth across industries, Eastern Europe shows some growth potential. Latin America is an export-centric region. Therefore, the growth potential is affected by the worldwide economic slowdown. However, with investments in water and wastewater, chemicals, and oil and gas, the market for metering pumps continues to grow at a steady pace. The metering pump market in the Middle East was slightly affected by the global recession, but with a rise in real estate business, significant improvement will be seen during the forecast period. Investments in industries—such as chemical, water and wastewater to meet demands for drinking water—are expected to drive the metering pump market. Growth in North Africa has been affected by political turmoil in recent years and continued to be unstable in 2013. Recovery of the manufacturing sector is expected as global markets recover and investors regain confidence. Meanwhile, the economic slump has impacted the export markets of countries in the Asia-Pacific. Better salaries and working conditions are expected to boost domestic demand during the forecast period. As the global economy recovers, investments are expected to strengthen, sustaining growth in the metering pump market.

Technological Advances

While product quality is essential, innovation is important to success in this highly competitive market, and technology is gaining precedence. Some pump companies have launched new products that could boost the market during the next few months. Another critical factor for success is regular maintenance. A significant drop in productivity and profitability and an increase in energy consumption can occur as a result of downtime from infrequent servicing. This is especially crucial for continuous-process industries like oil and gas, chemicals, pulp and paper, and power generation. Companies that provide maintenance and repair service will also benefit from increased demand. As in any industry, technology is gaining precedence in this market. Automated solutions are expected to play a key role in metering applications, driving demand for integrated solutions. Therefore, a focus on accuracy will increase through intelligent solutions and remote monitoring. Companies that pay attention to niche applications and develop end-to-end solutions will gain an edge over the competition and widen their customer base in this high-potential market.