Ultrasonic Level Transmitter Market Analysis (2024 – 2030)

As of 2024, the Ultrasonic Level Transmitter Market attained a valuation of USD 3.33 billion, poised to escalate to USD 7.09 billion by 2030. Over the forecast period spanning from 2024 to 2030, the market anticipates a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.4%.

Overview of the Ultrasonic Level Transmitter Market

Industry Summary:

The Ultrasonic Level Transmitter, an electrical sensor, gauges the height of liquids and gases by measuring the time taken for sound to traverse a specific distance, typically quantified in feet or meters. This system employs two transducers—one positioned at the top and another at the bottom of a tank or pipeline—to emit sound waves of predetermined frequency for measurement calculation. Subsequently, the recorded duration of wave return facilitates measurement determination. Noteworthy applications of ultrasonic level transmitters encompass diverse sectors such as chemical, oil and gas, and food and beverage industries. Irrespective of variations in external factors, these transmitters ensure precise liquid level detection. Their measurement capability extends up to 0-5000ft/1524m or beyond.

The organized sector retains nearly 30% of the global market share for ultrasonic level sensors. Entities within this sector boast robust operational and sales infrastructure across key regions, with some maintaining a global footprint. Their strategic priorities revolve around enhancing manufacturing capacities and diversifying product portfolios through innovation. Additionally, acquisitions of local enterprises, both domestically and internationally, constitute a significant aspect of their growth strategy.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Industry:

The global economy, along with various industries worldwide, bore the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Predominantly, disruptions in global supply chains emerged as the primary catalyst for economic downturns. The plummeting demand for goods triggered economic strains globally. The shortage of raw materials, stemming from pandemic-induced disruptions, severely impeded production across sectors. Key contributors to production downturns include dwindling exports and interruptions in supply chains. Consequently, the level transmitter industry experienced the repercussions of the pandemic, reflected in a diminished year-over-year growth rate projected for 2020 compared to 2019.

Market Drivers:

Emphasis on Industrial Automation and Resource Optimization:

Achieving manufacturing excellence necessitates stringent control over raw material quality and precise regulation of production processes. Manufacturers increasingly rely on automated process control technologies to streamline operations, ensuring cost-effectiveness and superior product quality. Industrial automation initiatives span various process industries, driving down operational costs, enhancing productivity, and addressing occupational safety concerns. Both discrete and process sectors are actively adopting best practices to minimize waste and enhance plant efficiency. Leveraging plant data for informed decision-making underscores the importance of integrating systems and software, including level transmitters, facilitating operational optimization.

Surging Demand for Radar Level Transmitters:

Radar-level transmitters garner significant traction in process industries owing to their unparalleled reliability and accuracy, particularly in volatile process environments. These transmitters offer versatile solutions for level measurement across diverse applications involving solids and liquids. They exhibit effectiveness in scenarios featuring boiling surfaces, recirculating fluids, propeller mixers, and aeration tanks, constituting approximately 90% of level measurement applications. Guided wave radar technology, in particular, proves advantageous in environments characterized by dust, foam, and heavy vapors, facilitating interface measurement where necessary, such as oil on water.

Market Restraints:

Network Congestion in Continuous Level Measurement:

Continuous level measurement, integral to industrial operations, involves transmitting measured data to remote monitoring systems via a network. The proliferation of computers in industrial settings facilitates automation, generating copious amounts of data during continuous level measurement. Consequently, network congestion may impede seamless data communication within industrial systems.

Challenges Associated with High-level Measurement in Tanks with Floating Roofs:

Storage tanks housing flammable substances like gasoline, naphtha, and organic compounds often feature floating roofs to mitigate risks of evaporation, fire, and explosion. While floating roofs offer numerous benefits, they pose challenges in detecting high-level measurements and preventing tank overfills. Traditional level switches, including tuning forks or ultrasonic gap switches, are ineffective for liquid measurement due to the solid nature of the roof.

Market for Ultrasonic Level Transmitters - Types

• Straight Rod Type Transmitters
• Flange Type Transmitters
• Screw-Type Transmitters

An instance of an ultrasonic level transmitter is the straight rod type. This variant showcases an L-shaped structure with one side positioned above the container under measurement. Its sensing mechanisms can feature either a straight rod or a flexible probe. The probe connects to a pivot rod installed on the frame's top end, linking to the threaded shaft of the straight rod on the other side. An example could be an ultrasonic level sensor equipped with two straight rods, one situated above and the other below the water's surface. As liquid passes between them, these rods rotate simultaneously, providing data on the measured distance from the liquid's surface.

A flange-type transmitter is characterized by a circular frame, with one side positioned above the container under assessment. Its sensing components can be a straight rod or a flexible probe. The probe is affixed to the frame's top, with one end attached to the top of an L-shaped flange, and the other end linked to the pivot rod. A flange-type transmitter could illustrate an ultrasonic level sensor with one straight rod and one flexible probe as its sensing elements. As liquid passes between them, these two sensing components rotate together, transmitting data on the distance to the liquid's surface.

For measuring fluid height or depth, a screw-type ultrasonic level transmitter is utilized. It comprises two main parts: a sensor integrated with electronics for data transmission, featuring a piezoelectric crystal fastened to a metal rod, and a transmitter component that detects voltage alterations, amplifies them, and transmits the signal to a receiver. The sensor is mounted on a screw that can be manually rotated or driven by an electric motor using gears and belts. The transmitter section establishes contact with fluids in tanks through electrical connections such as wires or cables extending from the bottom upwards into fluid reserves.

Global Market for Ultrasonic Level Transmitters - End Users

• Medical
• Automotive
• Industrial
• Food & Beverage
• Cement
• Pulp & Paper
• Chemical
• Water & Waste Water Management
• Oil & Gas

The industrial sector is poised to witness a substantial surge in demand for ultrasonic level sensors in the forthcoming years. With escalating demands for consumer goods like food, beverages, chemicals, and cement, the industrial sector holds significant potential for rapid expansion. By 2025, it is projected that the industrial segment will capture over 44% of the global market share, expanding at a CAGR of 10.2%. Strong growth potentials are observed in water and wastewater management, oil & gas, and various industrial sectors, all expected to exhibit significant CAGRs during the forecast period.

Global Market for Ultrasonic Level Transmitters - Regions

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Latin America
• The Middle East and Africa

In the United States, the ultrasonic level sensor market is expected to reach US$47.6 million by 2020. China, as the world's second-largest economy, is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 11.2% from 2020 to 2030, reaching a projected market size of US$64.7 million. Notable geographical markets include Japan and Canada, with growth rates of 4% and 6.6% over the 2020–2030 period, respectively. Germany is expected to witness expansion within Europe, with a CAGR of approximately 4.7%.

The region boasts well-established sectors such as process, healthcare, petrochemical, chemical, and power. India and China are viewed as vast markets for level transmitters due to their extensive urbanization and rapid economic growth. Both countries are experiencing high industrial growth, with expanding chemical and food & beverage sectors. The demand for level transmitters is expected to rise alongside the growth of water-intensive industries and their associated treatment facilities.

Global Market for Ultrasonic Level Transmitters - Companies

1. ABB Ltd.
2. AMETEK, Inc.
3. Balluff GmbH
4. Banner Engineering Corporation
5. Baumer SA
6. Christian Burkert GmbH & Co. KG
7. Continental AG
8. Endress+Hauser AG
9. Gems Sensors & Controls
10. Hans Turck GmbH & Co. KG
11. Honeywell International, Inc.
12. Keyence Corporation of America
13. KROHNE Messtechnik GmbH
14. Migatron Corp.
15. Omega Engineering, Inc.

Recent Developments in the Ultrasonic Level Transmitter Market:

• Product Launch: In 2020, Endress+Hauser Middle East was established, expanding the company's regional presence. Headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the new business oversees all regional sales, service, and solutions initiatives, including those of Endress+Hauser sales offices and Middle Eastern representatives.
• Product Launch: Siemens introduced the Sitrans LR250 PLA (polypropylene lens antenna), a radar level measuring transmitter, in 2020. This solution enables chemical level monitoring at nominal pressure and temperature, facilitating inventory management and crucial process control.
• Product Launch: In 2020, Vega expanded its radar product line by introducing 80 GHz radar level sensors for the water and wastewater industries, aiming to enhance radar level sensing capabilities in these sectors.