About the Client:
The Client is a Fortune 500 company and a world leader in the development of motion control & automation technologies for mining, process & goods manufacturing, agriculture, construction, and oil & gas.
The challenge:
Designers of mobile equipment (tractors, diggers, earthmovers, forklifts, etc.) are facing pressure to use sustainable, energy efficient motion control technologies while still maintaining power density and durability. With this pressure and increasingly stringent regulations concerning mobile equipment, there is a trend towards electric-powered alternatives of traditional hydraulic and pneumatic systems.
Methodology:
To address the Client’s challenge, PreScouter worked with the Client to identify the areas they would be most interested in exploring, the preferred Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the technologies to be presented, and the areas to be excluded from the investigation. Utilizing PreScouter’s stage-gated process and based on the feedback provided by the research team, the Client was able to shift focus as needed throughout the investigation to maximize the value of the insights gained.
The main goal was to determine the adoption rate of electrification. To do so, the PreScouter team utilized a variety of sources, including:
- Intellectual property filings from both customers and competitors
- Ongoing legislation developments and recently-enacted requirements
- Announcements by end users in relevant industries
In reviewing documentation from several sources (i.e. market analysis, customers, new entrants, etc.), the team analyzed timeframe of development, driving factors (like announced roadmaps from agricultural companies/other end users), technical capability of upcoming systems, and other areas to provide relevant conclusions to the Client’s team.
What PreScouter found:
The goal of this project was to provide insight into the adoption rate of electrification in mobile equipment and the major driving factors of this growing trend. Over the course of 8 weeks, the PreScouter team examined hundreds of sources and presented information on the following 5 technology aspects:
- Regulatory Landscape: The PreScouter team analyzed local and international regulations regarding mobile machinery as well as those for heavy duty on-road vehicles. The collected data was classified by relevance and used to forecast likely future regulations.
- Market Analysis: Consideration of various factors affecting operator adoption of electric/hybrid technologies in mobile machinery was used to put technological developments in perspective. Here, the PreScouter team reviewed market reports and analyses that ranged from autonomous systems to global demand to emission reduction.
- Customers: A snapshot of ongoing and recent developments from the manufacturers of mobile machinery in various industries provided a look at the Client’s customer preferences. Their preferences directly influence the Client’s decisions, and PreScouter highlighted provided insights with profiles of 13 companies in the space.
- Traditional Competitors: To stay ahead of the competition in the electrification market, an overview of the technological developments in the field was provided. It included write-ups of technologies from industry players, interviews, and patents.
- New Entrants: While traditional competitors currently hold the largest market share in the Client’s playing field, the potential of new entrants was considered. PreScouter profiled notable companies entering the electric/hybrid mobile machinery market.
Overall, the team provided a realistic picture of the relevant industries and market players, the timeline to adoption of electric mobile equipment, an overview of relevant emissions regulations driving acceptance, and a variety of products in development that will soon be influencing industry product lines. The team provided the Client with recommendations regarding next steps and the areas that would be of most interest for the Client to pursue.
Client feedback:
PreScouter presented the results directly to the Client’s team and provided the Client with a well-rounded understanding of activity in the space to support their business case for future R&D and investment activities.
