Motor-inverter market `set to soar`

Sales of motors with built-in inverters are about to take off, according to a new market study*. Although initial sales of the combined motor-inverters have been sluggish, Intex Management Services (IMS) predicts that the European and North American markets will together be worth more than $500m by the year 2005.

Most of the growth will be in the more established European market, where sales of motor-drive combinations doubled last year.

IMS predicts that the number of suppliers of these combined systems will increase substantially in the coming years. Already there are more than 20 suppliers offering motor-inverters to European customers.

But IMS expects the growing market to attract new entrants, such as Bonfiglioli, Flender and Sumitomo, which will base their offerings on drive modules like Siemens` Combimaster product.

Although most initial sales of motor-inverters have been for fan and pump applications, IMS expects to see high demand for materials-handling applications. One reason for this is the substantially reduced cabling for applications such as conveyors, compared to motors controlled by separate AC drives.

* The European and North American markets for motors with a built-in drive. Price £3,000. Details from IMS on 01933 402255.