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[October 2001]
North American Market For Piezoelectric Crystals and Crystal Devices to Grow at an AAGR of 10%
Jacques and Pierre Curie discovered the piezoelectric effect in the late 1800s. In just over 100 years, piezoelectricity moved from being a laboratory curiosity to big business. The U.S. piezoelectric industry has undergone several boom and bust cycles. However, in the last five years several applications for piezoelectric materials have emerged. This is a result of the revolution in wireless and wireline communications. Markets have boomed in these areas, especially for piezoelectric crystals. Further, new developments in piezoelectric ceramics and ceramic/polymer composites have led to new applications and markets. However, piezoelectric quartz crystals and crystal devices still comprise the largest market segment and, with the boom in the wireless industry, the average growth rate reached double digits over the last five years.
According to a soon-to-be-released study from Business Communications Company, Inc. (www.bccresearch.com) RGB-260 Piezoelectric Crystals and Devices: Technology, Applications, Industry, the North American market in current dollars for piezoelectric crystals and crystal devices is estimated at $1.15 billion in 2001. It is expected to grow to $1.86 billion by 2006 at an AAGR (annual average growth rate) of 10%.
The North American piezoelectric crystal industry is comprised of more than 150 companies involved as manufacturers and importers. Total consumption in 2000 was estimated at $1.27 billion. Of this total, about 47.2% represented imported products.
In the early part of 2000, companies projected growth rates ranging from 15% to 18% per year for the next five years. However, the economy has been faltering since the later part of 2000 and into 2001. With this downward trend, instead of a positive growth rate for 2000-2001, BCC projects 2001 consumption to be 8% less than in the 2000.
Government agencies such as DARPA and the U.S. Navy continue to support research in, and development of, new piezoelectric nonquartz single crystals such as PMNT and PZNT.
With the emergence of wireless communications and an increased need for data transmission using wireline communications, piezoelectric quartz crystals and crystal devices have seen a booming market. They are expected to continue growth in the future. Several new industrial and consumer applications have emerged to direct the industry away from its overdependence on military demand and towards commercial applications. With increased demand for quartz crystals and crystal devices, close to 50% of North American consumption is met by imports, mainly from Asia.
In the 1980s, Japan was the world leader in mass produced piezoelectric crystals and crystal devices. However, in the latter part of the 1990s, that shifted and China and Korea took over the market for low-end products. Japan still supplies expensive and high-end products. At present, Japan and Korea are supplying quartz devices for microprocessor and extended temperature products. China is supplying large quantities of low-end products for such application as toys, games, etc.
BCC also cautions that the year 2001 markets were estimated before the World Trade Center attacks. Since then, the 2001 markets may be lowered between 5 to 10%. However the 2006 markets is expected to reach BCC's estimates.
North American Market for Piezoelectric Crystals and Devices, through 2006
($ Millions)
2001
2006
AAGR %
2001-2006
Quartz crystals and devices
1,140
1,840
10.0
Nonquartz crystals*
13
20
9.0
Total
1,153
1,860
10.0
* Includes R&D funding for experimental and test crystals.
North American Market Share for Piezoelectric Crystals and Devices, 2006
(%)* Includes R&D funding for experimental and test crystals.
RGB-260 Piezoelectric Crystals and Devices: Technology, Applications, Industry
Published: November 2001 Price: $3850
ENDS