Page 16 - ITATUBE Journal 1 2020

Market information
a growth market, overtaking Germany to become the largest in Europe and the world´s sixth largest construction market by 2030.
The mayor market applications for tubes and pipes in the con- struction market are buildings as e.g. skyscrapers, bridges and load bearing applications. Here we find a significant competition between steel/tube structures and on the other side concrete elements. For skyscrapers the trend in emerg- ing countries to build high-rise towers is supporting the applica- tion of steel/tube structures. An outstanding advantage of steel/ tube structures are applications for buildings with seismic require- ments and/or dynamic loads as applied to bridges.
The success of tube and pipe applications in this mayor seg- ments of the construction market, anyhow require intensified lobby- ing efforts of the tube and pipe producing industry to further convince regulation authorities and project stake holders about the advantages of steel/tube structures as cost effective, aes- thetic and sustainable alterna- tives to concrete elements.
All these steel tube and pipe markets can be subdivided in commodity volume markets and the market part with high-tech requirements. For the high- tech requirements, the decisive
factors are the steel quality and the tube plant infrastructure. The steel quality for many high-tech steel tube and pipe applications is demanding regarding chemis- try and homogeneity. The avail- ability of such steel qualities with the relevant uniformity and quantities for welded tubes and pipes as steel strip and plates as well as billets for seamless tubes and pipes is limited and creates sometimes a significant hurdle to supply tubes and pipes into such high-tech markets. On the other hand, the tube plant infrastruc- ture regarding tube mills, finish- ing lines as well as applied quality assurance systems have also a significant importance. Growing importance can be seen in agile management strategies regarding customer benefit, process and product quality enhancement by applying “Industry 4.0” meas- ures. Some interesting applica- tions of “Industry 4.0” in the tube and pipe industry were presented by various speakers at the trend setting ITA tube conference in Düsseldorf 2019.
Plant builders as technology sup- pliers may find interesting busi- ness opportunities in this new market segment. Some technology suppliers have already reacted and complimented their product port- folio by digital solutions.
Dr. Gunther Voswinckel
VOSCO Management Consultancy GmbH
Leading by Experience – Our aim is the lasting enhancement of the value of your company
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ITAtube Journal No1/July 2020
16