Multifunctionality the key in challenging instrumentation markets

摘要

The demise of the telecommunications market has produced two challenging forces affecting manufacturers of test and measurement (T&M) and laboratory instrumentation. Capital-expenditure (capex) cutbacks by the carriers have led to a proportional slowdown in the installation side of the T&M market. The same capex reductions have also accelerated the attrition of telecom startup companies, which has further accelerated the drop in instrument demand from year 2000 levels. Thus, the instrumentation and T&M spaces are now suffering from an oversupply not only from vendors, but also from the gray markets where many used products are being sold at as much as a 90% discount. This combination presents one of the more challenging scenarios for introducing new products into the marketplace.