2 The Sensor Industry

Your company manufactures electronic sensors. Last year, global demand for sensors surged more than 13%. Unprecedented opportunities exist for companies that adopt a leadership role in the market, either through a superior product offering or aggressive pricing.

2.1 Sensor Customers

Your customers are Original Equipment Manufacturers. They put your sensors into a range of products, from bio hazard neutralization to security systems to manufacturing controls to consumer products. The sensor industry is growing and evolving fast. Even the oldest designs are less than eight years old.

Sensor customers fall into five groups called market segments:

• Traditional
• Low End
• High End
• Performance
• Size

2.2 Segment Buying Criteria

Customers within each market segment employ different standards as they evaluate the following sensor characteristics:

• Positioning (performance and size)
• Reliability
• Age
• Price