AMA
Research has published a new report covering the professional
portable power tools market. Available for purchase at £625 from
www.amaresearch.co.uk, the report provides a comprehensive
analysis of the different product sectors (drivers, drills &
hammers, cutting & grinding and carpentry & wood working).
Detailed reviews of the supply chain and distribution channels are
provided. The report also provides a forecast of the market
prospects to 2013.
The
professional portable power tools market is a specialised sector
of the overall portable power tool market and is defined as power
tools that are designated as such and are understood to be
designed and manufactured to ‘professional’ or ‘trade’ standards.
‘Portable’ means that the tools can be carried and operated by one
person. This is a highly competitive that is mainly influenced by
the performances of the construction, engineering & manufacturing
industries and RMI activities as well as internal market
influences including product development and legislation.
The market
experienced sustained growth until 2007
but by the end of the year the impact of the ‘credit
crunch’ began to affect the
UK economy and the professional portable power tools
market. The start of the recession in 2008 severely impacted the market
with prospects deteriorating for 2009. However, the market is anticipated
to begin recovery in 2011 and reach an estimated market size of £233
million by 2013. The market is expected to continue to be underpinned by
product development and the short replacement cycles of many of the
products. Forecasting at this time is extremely difficult and should the
recession be longer and deeper than expected, this forecast could prove to
be optimistic.
The key suppliers to this market are Makita, DeWalt/Black &
Decker, Bosch and Hitachi. Scewfix, part of the general industrial
products distributors channel, are dominant in the market and their
success has helped to establish this channel as the dominant route to
market for professional portable power tools.
The driving, drilling & breaking sector is the largest
product category accounting for just over half of the market share, with
the other two sectors, cutting & grinding and carpentry & wood working,
accounting for almost equal shares of the remainder of the market.
The focus of product development is to reduce hand arm
vibration and noise as well as dust extraction, designing user friendly
and earth conscious tools. The introduction of lithium-ion technology has
boosted the market and resulted in the cordless products sector gaining
share from the corded products sector.
Other factors affecting the professional portable power
tools market include imports, the volatility of the Sterling exchange rate
against the US dollar and Euro as well as price increases in the market,
primarily due to increasing fuel & energy prices and rising material
costs.
