Flow Research

27 Water Street

Wakefield, MA  01880

(781) 224-7550

(781) 224-7552 (fax)

info@flowresearch.com

http://www.flowresearch.com/

January 4, 2001

Dear Product or Marketing Manager:

As you may know, for the past year Flow Research and Ducker Research have been engaged in a study of the worldwide infrared market. I am happy to tell you that this study is now complete, and it is ready to ship. Those of you who purchased our preceding study, The Market for Temperature Sensors and Transmitters in the Americas, will find the same comprehensive and thorough treatment that you found in the earlier study.

The new infrared study is called The Market for Infrared Thermometers and Thermal Imagers Worldwide. It includes the following infrared products:

• Infrared thermometers (portable & fixed, general purpose and specialized)
• Linescanners (general purpose & specialized)
• Thermal imagers (portable & fixed, general purpose & specialized)
• Thermal imagers for firefighting applications (handheld & helmeted)

Infrared thermocouples are included with infrared thermometers.

In conducting the study, we did over 110 interviews with suppliers worldwide. Part of our challenge was locating infrared suppliers in the UK, Germany, France, Taiwan, Japan, and other countries. A worldwide study is more complex than a US or Americas study, since time and language barriers have to be taken into account. Despite this, we were able to interview nearly every infrared supplier worldwide. The result is an extremely comprehensive and totally up-to-date look at the worldwide infrared market.

After completing this study, a number of things stand out in my mind:

• The infrared market is divided between infrared thermometers, which sell for relatively less, and linescanners & thermal imagers, which are more expensive
• The industries that use infrared products range far beyond the process industries, and have a different usage pattern than most typical process instruments
• Infrared products are the fastest growing segment of the temperature sensor industry, though some are growing faster than others
• The fastest growing infrared segment is thermal imagers used for firefighting applications (firefighting cameras)
• Predictive maintenance is a growing application for thermal imagers as prices come down

I want to let you know a few facts about this study:

• In conducting the research for this study, we did more than 110 supplier interviews. We also made onsite visits to the leading infrared suppliers.
• The study contains a wealth of original data, with over 230 charts and tables. Complete market size and market share data is provided by geographic region and by product type. Geographic regions include: North America, Europe, Japan, Asia without Japan, and Rest of World.
• As part of the study, we conducted 100 phone interviews with end-users of infrared products. The results of this these interviews are contained in chapter six, which by itself contains 77 charts.
• In addition to containing complete market size data for the year 2000, this study forecasts growth by product, by segment, and by region through the year 2005.

In short, this is the most complete and up-to-date study available on the infrared market, and it is one you must have if you are involved in this market.

People sometimes ask "If I helped contribute to this research, can I get a discount off the study?" We greatly appreciate the amount of time many of you have spent providing valuable information for the study. As a result, we are offering a $300 discount to the many companies who contributed information for the study.

The publication of the infrared study marks the second major temperature study to be published this year. The first one, The Market for Temperature Sensors and Transmitters in the Americas, is still selling very well. If you have not yet purchased your copy of the earlier study, you may wish to take this opportunity to do so. We intend to continue to follow the temperature industry, and will continue to publish Hot Topics, our newsletter on the temperature industry.

For more information on The Market for Infrared Thermometers and Thermal Imagers Worldwide, or on The Market for Temperature Sensors and Transmitters in the Americas, please visit our website at www.flowresearch.com or Ducker Research at www.ducker.com. And thank you so much for your generous cooperation in making this study so complete and comprehensive! It’s been a pleasure working with you, and I hope to continue our association for a long time.

Best regards,

Jesse Yoder

Research Director

P.S. Please call me at 781-224-7550 if you have any questions about the study, or send an email to jesse@flowresearch.com. Also, if you are not currently receiving Hot Topics, please let us know. We will be happy to add you to the list.

The study can be ordered from Ducker Research – call Nick Limb 248-644-0086 or email to nickl@ducker.com – and an order form is included with this letter.

The Market for Infrared Thermometers and Thermal Imagers Worldwide, just released, is the result of ten months of research by Flow Research and Ducker Worldwide. In conducting the research for this study, we did over 110 interviews with infrared suppliers. We also conducted a comprehensive survey of 100 end-users of infrared products. The results of this research are contained in chapter six of the study.

If you are in the infrared or temperature business, then you must have this study. This study:

• Is the most comprehensive study available on the worldwide infrared market
• Contains over 230 charts and tables that detail market shares, market size, forecasts, and end-user purchasing expectations
• Includes a complete product and technology analysis for infrared thermometers, linescanners, thermal imagers, and thermal imagers for firefighting applications
• Contains the market size and market share data for infrared thermometers, linescanners, thermal imagers, and firefighting cameras by geographic region (North America, Europe, Japan, Asia without Japan, and Rest of World)
• Forecasts growth of infrared thermometers, linescanners, thermal imagers, and firefighting cameras by type through 2005
• Contains complete marketing strategies for infrared suppliers
• Includes company profiles of all the main infrared suppliers worldwide

The following are some of the many companies interviewed for this study: Avio, Bullard, Cairns Advanced Technologies, Chino, Cincinnati Electronics, Electrophysics, Exergen, Fire Research, FLIR Systems, HGH, Heitronics, Impac, Indigo Systems, Infrared Solutions Inc., International Safety Instruments, Ircon, ISG Thermal Systems, Keller, Land Instruments, Mikron Instruments, Mitsubishi, MSA, Nikon, Omega Engineering, Pyrometer Instrument Co., Raytek, Raytheon, Scott Aviation, Thermal Wave, Thermoteknix, Vision Technologies, Western Sensor, and Williamson Corp.

Here’s how you can use this information. First, you can see how your company stacks up against the competition in the infrared industry. Secondly, you will better understand which sectors of the infrared business are growing, and at what rate. This study pinpoints areas of high growth by product and by geographic region. It will tell you what customers are looking for in infrared products. It will help you make a more informed decision about where to put your product development dollars. The bottom line is more sales for your company, which will make into a hero!

To order this study, contact Nick Limb at Ducker Worldwide at 248-644-0086 or nickl@ducker.com, or fill out the order form and send it in today. For more information on the study, contact Flow Research at 781-245-3200, or visit www.flowresearch.com or www.ducker.com.