Posted by
Jilong Fibers on Wednesday, December 24, 2008 5:00:00 PM
Handheld fiber-optic fusion splicers drive production in the small supply market in mainland China.
The products are generally targeted at the low-end sector of the
international market, which is largely dominated by big-brand players.
Growing momentum in Greater China’s fiber-optic industry has yet to extend to the fiber-opticfusion splicer sector. This segment is so small at present it comprises only two or three makers in mainland China, plus several trading firms and design houses, and no suppliers in Taiwan.
Of the total 2007 global shipment of fiber-optic fusion splicers valued
at $308 million, only 6 to 8 percent came from mainland China,
according to data from Global Information Inc. The research firm
projects the global shipment value will climb to $440 million by 2012.
The
high technology requirement for entry into this product line and the
small demand will not likely fast-track supplier adoption in mainland China and Taiwan in the near term. The supplier base for fiber-optic fusion splicers
in both regions will not likely expand significantly, even as the
overall FTTx industry continues to be flooded with new players. Makers’
stronger focus on passive optical network (PON) products such as
optical line terminals (OLTs) and optical network units (ONUs),
particularly in Taiwan, will also derail the development of industrial-application products such as fusion splicers.
According to projections from Taiwan’s
Market Intelligence Center (MIC), global fiber-optic production value
will reach $57.34 billion this year, up from $52.44 billion in 2007 and
$48.89 billion in 2006. Production value of fiber-optic passive
components, including fiber-optic fusion splicers, is projected to hit
$1.43 billion this year and $1.58 billion in 2009, up from $1.24
billion in 2007.