It has always been ARC's position that technology itself has no inherent benefit unless it provides a measurable value proposition to the end user. The drive toward business value and the path to operational excellence (OpX) on the part of process manufacturers was the primary driver behind many of the leading developments in the process automation marketplace for 2005. From the demand-side perspective, pacesetting spending growth for automation has begun to shift away from industries such as pharmaceuticals and food and beverage to the energy sector-specifically oil and gas, refining and power generation. Of course, the impact of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina will have long-term effects on the North American automation marketplace, particularly in the hydrocarbon industries.
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