Analysing the microscope market

The global market for microscopes and accessories will rise from around $2.1 billion in 2006 to $3.6 billion by 2012, according to a recent report published by BCC Research.

The report, titled Microscopy: The Global Market, shows the fastest-growing segments of the market are scanning probe microscopes, with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.4% between 2007 and 2012, followed by charged particle microscopes with a CAGR of 9.0%. between 2007 to 2012.

Optical microscopes are projected to have the lowest growth rate of any major market segment, with a CAGR of only 5.6%.

The report also showed that semiconductor manufacturing was the dominant end user market for microscopes in 2006, with 31% of the total market, followed by life sciences (27%), materials (24%) and nanotechnology (10%). Nanotechnology and semiconductor manufacturing are the fastest-growing end user markets with CAGRs of 19.4% and 10.2% respectively.

By 2012, the semiconductor industry is expected to account for 34% of the overall microscope market, while nanotechnology should make a sharp increase to 17%.