How Is Food Processing Sector Supporting MEA Industrial Refrigeration Systems Market Growth?

 The growth of the food processing industry in countries like Qatar and Saudi Arabia will play a vital role in the advancement of the MEA industrial refrigeration systems market. In the coming years, the region will witness a substantial rise in consumption of ready-to-eat meal and number of food outlets, owing to which the demand for refrigeration systems will surge exponentially. The industrial refrigeration systems will be used by the food processing sector and restaurants to retain the freshness and nutrition of food items and drinks. 

Moreover, booming demand for refrigeration solutions from the chemical and oil refining industries will also drive the market in the forecast years. The oil refining industry require refrigeration for preservation of compounds, dehumidification of air, and condensation of gases. The Middle Eastern nations like Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Iran are some of the largest suppliers of petrochemicals in the world, due to the presence of numerous oil fields. Whereas, the chemical industry needs refrigeration systems to maintain the temperature of finished and semi-finished products and raw materials. 

Currently, the practice of using natural refrigerants, such as water and carbon dioxide (CO2), is providing lucrative opportunities to companies operating in the MEA industrial refrigeration systems market. This is because the application of CO2 offers higher efficiency than the other refrigerants like chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC). Moreover, the non-hazardous property of CO2 makes it a more viable option than other chemicals. Unlike other refrigerants, CO2 does not lead to ozone layer depletion.  

The equipment segment of the MEA industrial refrigeration systems market is categorized into controls, compressors, evaporators, condensers, and others including, vessels, pumps, auxiliary equipment, and valves. Among these, the compressors category accounted for the largest market share in 2017, owing to the highest cost of this equipment. Whereas, the controls category is expected to display the fastest growth during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the cost advantages offered by the controls by enhancing overall efficiency, while offering additional customization features. 

Geographically, the U.A.E. dominated the MEA industrial refrigeration systems market in 2017 and it is expected to register the highest growth in the forecast years. This can be ascribed to the hot climate and huge influx of tourists in the country. A surge in the number of tourists has a positive impact on the food and beverages sector, which further supports the market growth. Additionally, the expansion of the food and beverages industry in the country is also driven by the increasing purchasing power and rising expats. 

Thus, the expansion of food processing, chemical, and oil refining industries in MEA countries will boost the market growth in the near future. 

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Ultrasound Device Market to Grow due to Rising Incidence of Chronic Diseases

There was a time when people used to be scared if they heard the doctor say that they have to go through a surgical procedure for therapeutic purposes. However, now the situation has changed radically, and due to technological advancements, the preference for minimally invasive surgeries has been increasing rapidly. A minimally invasive surgical procedure is associated with safety and lower postoperative patient morbidity as opposed to the traditional approach for the same operation. Since the emergence of this technique, it was predicted that more than 80% of all surgical procedures will be performed with some form of minimal invasiveness.

These procedures often make use of ultrasound devices; thus, their growing prevalence is also resulting in the rising need for ultrasound devices. In these devices, ultrasound waves are produced by a transducer that emits ultrasound waves, as well as detects the ultrasound echoes which are reflected back. The transducer sends out a beam of sound waves into the body, which are sent back to the transducer by the tissues in the path of the beam. The echoes generate electrical signals that are sent to the ultrasound scanner, which then calculates the distance from the transducer to the tissue boundary. These distances are utilized for producing 2D images of tissues and organs.

Attributed to the rising need for these devices, the ultrasound device market is expected to advance at a considerable pace in the years to come. Diagnostic and therapeutic are the two types of ultrasound devices. The demand for diagnostic ultrasound devices was higher in the past, owing to their extensive usage for producing images inside the body in a non-invasive manner.s The demand for therapeutic ultrasound devices, which are used for interacting with tissues in the body for modification or destruction purposes, is also projected to rise significantly in the near defuture.

These devices can be cart/trolley-based or portable/handheld/compact, between which, the demand for portable/handheld/compact devices is predicted to grow faster in the coming years, owing to their ease of use in remote locations. Ultrasound devices have a number of applications, namely obstetrics and gynecology, cardiology, urology, general radiology/imaging, and vascular. While the demand for ultrasound devices was the highest for general radiology/imaging applications in the past, their requirement for cardiology applications is also expected to grow substantially in the near future. This can be majorly ascribed to the surging prevalence of heart diseases across the globe.

In the past, Europe emerged as the largest ultrasound device market, which is owing to the rising preference for minimally invasive procedures and increasing number of product approvals in the region. In addition to this, the surging incidence of chronic diseases is also resulting in a rising requirement for diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound devices in Europe. Other than this, the demand for these devices is also projected to rise in the Asia-Pacific region in the years to come.

Hence, the requirement for ultrasound devices is rising due to the growing preference for minimally invasive procedures and increasing prevalence of chronic diseas

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Why are Troubled Teens the Key Driver for European Drug of Abuse Testing Market?

 For many people in Europe, especially emotionally disturbed teens, drugs are their best friends! But, as everyone knows, whether an addict or not, drugs are not good. Though they help people escape their troubles for a while, they lead to long-lasting ill-effects, such as risk of AIDS and hepatitis C. Due to the increasing concerns among relatives and friends about drug abuse by their loved ones, they are rapidly using methods to test the presence of such substances in the body of suspected users.

Apart from out of genuine concern, DOA testing is also done to establish doping, for legal purposes, maintain decorum at the workplace, and for medical diagnosis. The process can be accomplished with the help of several consumables, such as assay kits and reagents and rapid test kits, as well as a range of equipment, including breath analyzers, chromatography instruments, and immunoassay analyzers. Of the various consumables available, rapid test kits were the most widely adopted in the past, owing to their heavy usage in point-of-care testing centers, for mandatory screening, legal, and diagnostic purposes.

Such tests are done at laboratories, hospitals, homes, and workplaces, among which hospitals account for the largest volume. This is because as drugs lead to serious health issues and overdose is potentially fatal, users often end up in hospitals. At such places, advanced equipment and trained professionals are deployed, who undertake the testing. Moreover, in Europe, efforts are on to better the healthcare infrastructure, which include procuring modern medical devices and equipment, including those which are used for the determining the presence of DOA in the body.

The testing volume is rising in other settings too; for instance, laboratories generally offer more cost-effective services than hospitals, which is why an increasing number of people are preferring such centers for DOA testing. Moreover, the rules in workplaces regarding drug usage are becoming stricter, and many companies are implementing testing programs for their employees, to track any risky behavior. Similarly, concerned parents are using these tests at home, especially on troubled teenagers, among whom the usage of drugs is rising fast.

As per the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Abuse (EMCDDA) in 2019, 17.5 million people in the 15–34 age group were cannabis users. Similarly, 2.6 million used cocaine, 2.1 million were MDMA users, and 1.2 millions used amphetamines. People in this age group, the younger ones especially, go through all kinds of mental stress, caused due to parent and peer pressure, relationships and break-ups, bad grades, childhood trauma, and sexual abuse, which often drives them to drug addiction.

The largest DOA testing market in Europe has been the U.K., and the situation will be the same in the coming years, owing to the growing problem of drug abuse in the kingdom. According to the National Health Service (NHS), in 2018–19, 7,376 people were admitted to the hospital with drug-induced mental and behavioral disorders, which was a 30% increase from the 5,668 admissions reported in 2008–09.

Therefore, with the growing issue of DOA usage in Europe, the volume of tests is swiftly rising.

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3D Printing Materials Offering Better Results for Manufacturing Sector

Manufacturing firms are using 3D printing to explore opportunities offered by additive manufacturing. Production units are integrating additive manufacturing into their organization to yield faster and better results. Over the years, 3D printing has gained popularity in additive manufacturing, which was previously based on the subtractive process in which wasted raw materials are reused several times. For example, automotive production facilities use left-over metal sheets to develop metal plates to be reused for the manufacturing of other parts. However, in recent years, the usage of 3D printing materials has escalated, due to the growing adoption of 3D printing technology. 

Moreover, the automobile industry is also using 3D printing materials in large quantity as 3D-printed vehicle components are lightweight and consume less energy during manufacturing process. This sector uses the 3D printing technology to design automotive parts that have complex geometries and are difficult to develop using conventional methods. With the booming sales of automobiles, especially in countries like India, Brazil, Indonesia, and China, the consumption of such materials will escalate in the coming years. 

Apart from the manufacturing, automotive, and education sectors, the aerospace and defense industry also uses 3D printing materials like plastics, ceramics, and metals to produce gigantic and complex parts. This is due to the growing adoption of 3D printing-integrating manufacturing technique in this sector. The industry mostly uses titanium to print prototypes or parts through 3D technique. Titanium is one of the most expensive substances used in production process of aircraft components. Additionally, these printing materials also find wide application in the production of consumer goods and medical and dental products.

Owing to the mounting demand for 3D printing materials from various sectors, market players like Stratasys Ltd., Formlabs Inc., Solidscape Inc., 3D Systems Corporation, The ExOne Company, EnvisionTEC GmbH, Royal DSM, and LPW Technology Ltd. are introducing several varieties of such products and 3D printing equipment. These companies are focusing on product launches and partnerships to expand their customer base. For example, EnvisionTEC, in February 2018, introduced Vida cDLM, a large, high-speed 3D printer to allow dental professionals to print 3D orthodontic models and mouth guards in reasonable time.  

In the coming years, North America is expected to register the highest sales of 3D printing materials, owing to the strong presence of established players and rapid growth in the usage of 3D printing technology. Moreover, rising adoption of this technology in the medical and dental sector will accelerate the usage of such materials in the region. However, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) 3D printing materials market will exhibit the fastest growth during the forecast period, due to the hefty investments in research and development (R&D) and supportive government policies regarding 3D printing technology. 

Thus, the growth in the automotive, manufacturing, aerospace and defense, and education sectors will amplify the usage of 3D printing materials in the near future.   

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Why Government Efforts are Important for South American Internet of Things Market Advance?

One of the predominantly developing regions of the world, South America is rapidly embracing technological advancements. Governments of regional countries as well as private companies are increasing their investments in the development of information technology (IT) infrastructure, with the aim to enhance the communication network. The reach of the radio-frequency identification (RFID), near-field communication (NFC), artificial intelligence, robotics, and low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technologies is expanding in the continent, which is resulting in the deployment of internet of things (IoT) solutions.

For IoT to work properly, establishing a sound telecommunication network is the first step, which is why the focus on increasing the penetration of 5G in the region is high. This is encouraging an increasing number of start-ups to enter the region and work on the advancement of 5G. Once in place, the high-speed internet connection and IoT technology are expected to result in considerable progress in the setting up of smart cities in the region, which would drastically change the way resources are consumed.

Building and home automation, government, manufacturing and automotive, energy and utilities, retail, healthcare and hospitality, agriculture, logistics and transport, telecom, banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), education, media and entertainment, and almost every other industry in the continent is using IoT for some or the other purpose. Among these, the manufacturing and automotive sector currently uses this technology the most, majorly for quality and maintenance control, predictive analysis, and reducing cost and time of machine assessment, maintenance, and configuration.

Apart from manufacturing and automotive, the deployment of IoT is increasing in the agriculture sector, as it still accounts for the largest contribution to the economies of regional nations. Farmers are integrating a variety of sensor-powered devices to track the health of the crop and soil, securing their farmlands, and ultimately, increasing their productivity. For instance, a network of wireless devices was implemented in Colombia in September 2016 by Red Tecnoparque Colombia to the track temperature and humidity, moisture content of the soil, and diameters of tree trunks and fruits.

All the above-mentioned industries use IoT for security, real-time streaming analysis, remote monitoring, data management, and network bandwidth management. Since the deployment of IoT or any other device connected to the web results in an increase in the network traffic, an efficient system is required to handle it. Therefore, the demand for network bandwidth management solutions has been the highest in South America in the past, as it would allow for the transmission of high-volume traffic at an appreciable speed, without packet loss.

Being the most developed country in the region, Brazil is projected to be South American IoT market in the coming years. This would be a result of the increasing efforts of its government to implement the technology and a growth in its agriculture sector. For instance, the Intelligent Brazil program, implemented by its government, is aimed at providing internet access and developing IoT, artificial intelligence, and smart cities. Other reasons for the surging deployment of IoT in Brazil would be the increasing awareness of people about the concept, rising disposable income, and accelerating rate of urbanization.

Hence, with economic growth and heavy investments in technological advancements, the uptake of IoT solutions would escalate in South America.

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Why Do Aircraft Have Titanium Blisks in Their Engines?

The number of people traveling by air increased massively from around 310.4 million in 1970 to 4.3 billion in 2019, as per the World Bank. This is credited to the rapid expansion of airlines in terms of their fleet size and the constant entry of new airlines around the world. With the sustained surge in the number of people and amount of freight being transported by air, aircraft fleets are growing rapidly.

The rotor-and-blade assembly of an aircraft engine has to be strong enough to suck air at high speeds and sustain the extreme heat generated from the fuel’s combustion. Therefore, conventional materials are being replaced by titanium, which is the strongest metal on earth and even stronger so considering its weight. Thus, titanium blisks not only make the engine sturdy but also the aircraft lighter, which helps increase the lift and reduce the consumption of fuel. As per the Air Transportation Action Group (ATAG), in 2019, 915 million tonnes of CO2 were emitted by flights, which has put the spotlight on reducing the fuel consumption.

Titanium blisks are used in the engines of aircraft flying for commercial, general aviation, and military purposes, as well as in those of model and experimental aircraft. Because of the explosion in the number of air passengers, the demand for these components has been the highest for commercial aircraft. Even though the civil aviation sector is witnessing a COVID-induced slump presently, it is expected to revive rapidly in the coming years. For instance, Airbus forecasts that by 2038, 39,200 new freighter and passenger aircraft will be required. 

Similarly, Boeing’s global fleet expansion forecast till 2039 stands at 43,110 aircraft additions. Hinting at similarly positive signs for the civil aviation sector post these dark times, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says that air traffic (in terms of the number of passengers) will reach almost 52% of the pre-COVID level by the end of 2021 and 82% by the end of 2022, ultimately surpassing this number in 2023. All these statistics reflect a massive impending demand for titanium blisks from aerospace companies, majorly those based in North America and Europe.

North America is already the largest aerospace titanium blisk market as it is home to Boeing, the largest aerospace company in the world. It provides aircraft not just for commercial purposes, but to the military as well. Apart from regular airlines, a lot of chartered airlines and private jets operate in the region as it is home to many high-net-worth individuals. Apart from North America, the demand for such components is also rising sharply in Asia-Pacific (APAC) due to the establishment of domestic aerospace companies in the region.

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Rising Need for Treated Water Augmenting Wood Vinegar Consumption

 Wood vinegar or wood acid or pyroligneous acid is a dark liquid, which is derived from charcoal. It is obtained by heating biomass in a closed container. The smoke generated during charcoal production is cooled into a liquid and then separated into bio-oil, tar, and wood vinegar. The dark liquid is a combination of nearly 80–90% water and over 200 organic compounds, such as acetic acid, esters, formic acid, ketones, methanol, and phenol. 

Moreover, the increasing implementation of government initiatives regarding bio-based products will also ensure the large-scale adoption of wood vinegar for wastewater treatment, food, animal husbandry, wood tar, and agriculture applications. In the recent past, the agriculture sector has emerged as the largest consumer of wood vinegar due to the enormous use of bio-based fertilizers and pesticides to increase productivity. For instance, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, has launched several programs in recent times to promote the use of biomass materials and bio-based products, such as wood vinegar.

The manufacturing segment of the wood vinegar market is categorized into slow paralysis, fast and intermediate pyrolysis, and others. Under this segment, the slow pyrolysis category is expected to account for the largest market share during the forecast period as slow pyrolysis provides a better yield of wood vinegar, char, and other products than other manufacturing processes. In comparison to other processes, slow pyrolysis exhibits a longer vapor resistance time and slower heating rate.   

In recent years, wood vinegar producers, such as TAGROW CO. LTD., Nakashima Trading Co. Ltd., Ace (Singapore) Pte Ltd., Canada Renewable Bioenergy Corporation, Byron Biochar, and Nettenergy BV,  have engaged in technological advancements to develop better and improved pyrolysis kiln methods to produce char, biochar, and wood vinegar. Additionally, the advanced pyrolysis methods help enhance the production process of wood vinegar and reduce the total manufacturing process. Further, the producers are also focusing on involving poverty-ridden people in wood vinegar production processes as the material is majorly produced in villages by using local resources and feedstock.

Thus, the escalating need for treated water and surging government focus on using bio-based products will fuel the consumption of wood vinegar globally.

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