The general analytical techniques (GAT) market is a collection of the most basic laboratory instruments, including electrochemistry systems, laboratory balances, radioactivity equipment, dissolution testers, and continuous flow and discrete analyzers. While these technologies are fundamentally different from each other, they share similar market characteristics. These instruments are somewhat low-end technologies and have revenues generated primarily from replacement sales. Due to the simplicity of these instruments, the service segments, in most cases, are negligible. In addition, the commodity nature of these businesses offers a very low barrier to entry. However, many of these technologies are found in laboratories across the world and are an essential part of the instrumentation market. China and Asia-Pacific continue to be the two fastest growing regions for GAT. Even though their growth has slowed recently, these regions still create a niche market for some lower-cost technologies.

While the overall growth rate for the GAT market is expected to be slower than previous years, the growth rates for the individual technologies involved vary greatly. Driven by increased regulatory control resulting in instrument replacements, dissolution testing is the fastest growing technology segment, with sales increasing more than twice as fast as the overall GAT average. The radioactivity market, on the other hand, has been stagnant for the past few years, and 2013 is not expected to change that trend.

By market size, the top two GAT technology segments, electrochemistry and lab balances, account for more than three-fourths of the overall GAT market. Although electrochemistry is the largest GAT segment, its growth is the second slowest. Metrohm and Xylem are the two leaders in the electrochemistry market. Xylem offers a wide array of electrochemistry brands, such as SI Analytics, WTW, Schott and YSI. Other competitors in the electrochemistry market include Hach (Danaher), Thermo Fisher Scientific and Hanna Instruments.

Laboratory balances are the second-largest segment in the market. The laboratory balances segment is expected to grow nearly one percentage point faster in 2013 than the overall GAT market. By 2014, the size of the lab balances market is expected to be equal to that of the electrochemistry market. Mettler-Toledo and Sartorius are the two undisputed leaders in the laboratory balances market. Smaller vendors in this segment include A&D Weighing and Shimadzu.

The market for radioactivity systems is expected to be more stagnant in 2013 compared with 2012. The slow sales growth that exists in this market continues to be driven by replacement and aftermarket sales. PerkinElmer and Canberra (Areva) are the two leading vendors in radioactivity. PerkinElmer is the dominant force in the liquid scintillation market.

Dissolution testing is the second-smallest segment of the GAT market, albeit the fastest growing. Used predominantly in pharmaceutical quality assurance and control labs, dissolution testing equipment is heavily regulated. With the abundance of moving parts, the service segment is more significant in this market than other GAT segments. Replacement systems continue to be the driving force behind this segment, although new installations in Asia as a result of pharmaceutical company expansions also play a big role in the segment’s sales growth. Agilent and Sotax are the two dominant vendors in this market.

Continuous flow analyzers (CFA) and discrete analyzers are the smallest segment of the GAT market. However, the technology is the third-fastest growing in the GAT market. Thermo and Seal Analytics (Porvair) are the top two manufacturers. OI (Xylem) and Lachat (Danaher) are also major competitors.

 General Analytical Instrumentation 2012–2013

                     2012 Market Share    2013 Growth Rate

 Electrochemistry          39.6%                 1.8%

 Lab Balances              38.0%                 3.8%

 Radioactivity             11.1%                 1.1%

 Dissolution Testing        8.4%                 6.0%

 Discrete Analyzers, CFA    2.9%                 3.7%

 Total                    100.0%                 2.9%

 Pie Chart: 2012 General Analytical Instrumentation Market by Product Type

 Initial Systems   66%

 Aftermarket       25%

 Service            9%

 Pie Chart: 2012 General Analytical Instrumentation Suppliers’ Market Shares

 Mettler-Toledo   22%

 Sartorius        12%

 Thermo            6%

 Metrohm           6%

 Xylem             6%

 Danaher           5%

 Other            43%

 General Analytical Instrumentation Market Leaders

 Electrochemistry          Metrohm, Xylem

 Lab Balances              Mettler-Toledo, Sartorius

 Radioactivity             PerkinElmer, Canberra (Areva)

 Dissolution Testing       Agilent, Sotax

 Discrete Analyzers, CFA   Thermo, Seal Analytical (Porvair)

 Bar Graph: 2011–2014 Total General Analytical Instrumentation Market

                2011    2012    2013    2014

 $ Millions    1,949   2,006   2,064   2,131