Quantitative and Qualitative Demand for Food and Beverages Fuels Growth in the Southeast Asia and Australia and New Zealand Automation and Software Solutions Market, Finds Frost & Sullivan

SINGAPORE, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The Southeast Asia and Australia and New Zealand automation and software solutions market for the food and beverage industry is poised for huge expansion in the coming years, with the growth rate pegged at 10-15 percent. The market is witnessing fast-paced evolution as consumer preferences change, and there is a demand for high-quality products that promote health. Ample foreign direct investment (FDI) is driving growth in this space.

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The Asia Pacific region affords enormous potential, as the cost of setting up plants is low. Food and beverage investors are continuing to target Southeast Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand due to their growing status as hubs for production and export. Soaring energy prices have led to a spike in food prices. As automation and software solutions enable optimal energy utilization, manufacturers are deploying them to reduce the cost of end products. Due to the high degree of competition in this arena, participants are going the extra mile to maintain quality and consistency in production.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.industrialautomation.frost.com), Southeast Asia and Australia and New Zealand Automation and Software Solutions Market in the Food and Beverage Industry, finds that the market earned revenues of over $72.1 million in 2008, and estimates this to reach $107.0 million by 2015.

"Standards are fixed over the years, and compliance with these standards is vital for companies to sustain in a market where quality is a crucial factor," says Frost & Sullivan Research Associate Vandhana Venkatesan. "Hence, manufacturers are investing in automation and software solutions to keep pace with the existing and upcoming competition from local participants."

Although market prospects are bright, there are some issues restraining market momentum. Countries in the Asia Pacific region are confronted with problems such as floods, bush fires, drought, earthquakes, and political instability. Over the years, these have been recurring themes in the region, resulting in reduced growth.

The global economic scenario too has restrained the unit sales of automation products. Though the food and beverage segment has not witnessed a significant downtrend, projects have been shelved until the economic turnaround occurs. Countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam have felt the impact of the economic slowdown more than others in the region.

The automation and software solutions market is highly fragmented, and the retail segment is characterized by intense competition, leading to price pressure. Moreover, there is a high degree of internal competition between distributed control systems (DCSs) and programmable logic controllers (PLCs) with increasing replacement taking place within the two. On the flip side, competition has triggered innovation, and participants are vying with each other to roll out products that offer optimal functionality.

To ensure market progression, technology must be constantly upgraded to synchronize with changing customer preferences. Web-based and wireless technologies are the recent trends in the industry. Automation and software solutions manufacturers must provide consulting services in the form of training and devise smart marketing strategies to rake in increased revenues as well as establish a strong brand image. Product differentiation in terms of building user-friendly and industry-specific products is necessary to cater to the growing demand.

"Trends point to a rise in the usage of PC-based automation products and safety integrated systems," opines Venkatesan. "Cyber security integrated software is an upcoming application that helps defend against cyber threats."

If you are interested in more information on this study, please send an e-mail to Donna Jeremiah, Corporate Communications, at [email protected], with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state and country.

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Southeast Asia and Australia and New Zealand Automation and Software Solutions Market in the Food and Beverage Industry

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SOURCE Frost & Sullivan