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CENTRIFUGES AND SEDIMENTATION EQUIPMENT MARKET SET TO GROW The world market for centrifuges, clarifiers, dissolved air flotation systems and hydrocyclones will grow from just over US$4 billion in 2002 to just under $5 billion in 2006, and by 2007 will be comfortably over the $5 billion mark. This is the forecast from the Mcllvaine Co's continually updated on-line report "Sedimentation & Centrifugation World Markets". McIlvaine reckons that clarifiers and thickeners - widely used gravity-settling devices - will generate the most revenues. They are found in every country from Australian mines to Finnish sewage treatment plants. The second largest equipment category is the disc centrifuge that is used as a dairy separator as well as a purifier of pharmaceuticals, wine, and many other products. Third on the list is the decanter centrifuge - which dewaters sewage sludge and coal fines as well as food products. Fourth place belongs to the miscellaneous centrifuge segment. Basket and pusher centrifuges are widely used in the chemical industry and are used in sugar and other food processing applications as well. In fifth place is the dissolved air flotation (DAF) system. This device is replacing sand filters in municipal drinking water purification as well as cleaning wastewater in chicken processing plants and drive-in car washes. Last on the list with just 13% of the market is the hydrocyclone, which is used in minerals processing and power plant scrubber wastewater cleaning. The clarifier market became more concentrated with GL&V purchasing Dorr Oliver followed by its purchase of Eimco Process Equipment. The resultant combination has a good share of the mining market. But USFilter is the leader in clarifiers in the municipal segment. Alfa Laval is the leader in both the decanter and disc centrifuge category followed GEA Westfalia who is second in both categories. Because of the high speed and demanding manufacturing requirements there is less Asian competition in centrifuges than in the other devices. The centrifuge market is dominated by US, European and Japanese manufacturers. In contrast, there are clarifier and DAF suppliers in many countries. Municipal wastewater is now the largest application for sedimentation and centrifugation equipment followed by the mining and food industries. However, by 2006 the food industry will be the largest segment. There will be a substantial increase in the purchase of clarifiers/thickeners and hydrocyclones by US power plants as they install flue gas desulphurisation systems over the next eight years. The biggest growth market, however, will be China which is making huge investments to build wastewater treatment plants. At the same time it is also experiencing growth in the basic industries which are also major users of sedimentation and centrifugation equipment. |