The calibration and repair services market is anticipated to reach $7.5 billion by 2022, driven by increased quality awareness, adoption of metrology in manufacturing process and strict regulations. The calibration and repair services market is expected to generate higher growth revenue in the upcoming years.
The service providers in this market can be classified into three types: original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), third-party service providers (TSP), and in-house laboratories. The end-user industries for the calibration and repair service market include aerospace and defense, semiconductors, consumer electronics, health care, communications, industrial and automotive, and others (energy, infrastructure, and education). The calibration and repair service market consists of the following four parameters:
- Electrical
- Mechanical
- Thermodynamic
- Physical/Dimensional
The desire for domain expertise and quality of instruments is increasing and will continue to gain momentum among consumers and end-user industries. The focus on strict government regulations and high-quality equipment among consumers are key drivers that boost the growth of the calibration services market.The proliferation of modular instruments, especially in industries like aerospace and defense, and life science, has increased the scope for calibration and repair services. The devices used in these industries are high risk failures, so there is a need for calibration at regular intervals of time. In 2016, the total calibration services market revenue was estimated to be about $4.5 billion; it is forecast to rise to approximately $7.5 billion by 2022.
The complexity of manufacturing smart products calls for more testing and greater attention to detail in the design stage, resulting in a greater need for more complex and accurate instrumentation. Such complex calibration routines and procedures limit not only the number but also the severity of out-of-tolerance issues. This, in turn, ensures tighter intervals and boosts the demand for calibration and repair services. On top of the need to ensure high-quality products, the regulatory environment in some end-user verticals (e.g., aerospace and defense, and automotive) pave the way for expansion of the calibration and repair services market. On-site calibration is one of the growth opportunities for calibration services because it saves time and cost, and enhances quality. Moreover, when a calibration technician is available onsite, he/she will be able answer queries or resolve issues immediately.Most of the companies in the market have started to provide on-site calibration services.
Customer preference has begun to lean toward a one-stop calibration service provider, as a customer can have all equipment calibrated in the same premises. To meet customer needs, market participants must purchase equipment or technology to expand the scope of their capabilities to ensure that they remain abreast of standards and to satisfy customers.
In North America and Europe, the number of local service providers that participate in the market is high. These local service providers perform low-quality calibration at low prices. This is a challenge for international service providers. The key challenges that calibration and repair service providers face is ensuring that their service offering remains price competitive without compromising on quality. As this market is highly competitive due to fragmentation, pricing pressure, and demanding customers, maintaining a high quality of service is a critical challenge that calibration service providers face. Another industry challenge for participants is the outsourcing of in-house laboratories, which forms the largest segment in the calibration and repair services market. The preference for outsourcing in-house laboratories to third-party service providers stems from the need to ensure higher quality and less downtime.
Enhancing calibration services is the need of the hour should service providers seek to make the most of the high market revenue forecast for the calibration and repair services market.
