N. American gas meter revenue to exceed $500M in '14

PARIS – The North American utility gas meter market will surpass $500 million per year starting in 2014, according to market research firm IMS Research.

In its latest report, The World Market for Gas Meters – 2012, IMS Research explained that the revenue growth will be supported by the automation of gas endpoints via two-way meters and retrofit communications modules as well as an added boost from the large Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) fixed network installation.


By the end of 2012, IMS said it expects that the installed base of communicating gas meters in North America will be just above 50 percent of the 77 million total gas end points, and the global advanced gas meter market will continue to be dominated by the North America region. More than seven out of every ten advanced gas meters sold worldwide were indeed in North America in 2011.

According to IMS, 6.5 communicating devices for gas meters were were sold in North America last year, with more than 80 percent of these estimated to have been installed on existing diaphragm meters.

“The durability of diaphragm measurement technology gives meters in North America a lifespan of 30-40 years on average," stated IMS Research Analyst Jacob Pereira. "This has caused many utilities to simply add a communications module to the meter, rather than replacing a device that will continue to work for many years."

Pereira continued: "This trend is expected to see a noticeable uptick in 2013, when SoCalGas will begin to automate their roughly 6 million gas end points in earnest, with 4.5 to 5 million retrofit communications modules expected to be shipped."

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