Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
San Juan Capistrano, California-based PMA Research, which says it specializes in worldwide front projector market information, has also expanded its coverage to include U.S. Professional Large-Format Flat Panel Display market information.
It recently published a new report on large-format (32″ and larger) displays. The report says that unit sales of commercial-grade models rose a solid 14% in Q1 2015 over Q1 2014. The report suggests that sales may have been even stronger without the double whammy of harsh weather conditions and labor disputes in the West Coast ports impacting supply.
It says that multiple market segments enjoyed strong gains during the quarter. Shipments of models designated for 24×7 use nearly doubled from last year’s Q1 due in part to the growing adoption of digital signage for use in airports and network operations centers.
Models with ultra-narrow bezels also saw strong growth as usage of sleek and eye-catching signage is becoming more popular in retail and advertising applications. Finally, use of media-players with flat panel displays saw strong year over year growth of 50%, which is a testament to the use of digital signage networks in small-to-medium business applications like quick-serve restaurants, entertainment venues and professional offices.
“Manufacturers continue to sell the advantages of commercial-grade glass, and of the longer warranties, covering 18- to 24-hour daily operation,” says Rosemary Abowd, PMA analyst. “We see additional growth in professional models in April with a 2% increase over March’s lofty levels. Even more significant, year-over-year sales were up 46% and revenues were up 55% from April, 2014. These are very encouraging signs for the business.”
The trend in screen sizes also continues to edge toward larger screens, the report says. But in the professional segment, smaller screen sizes still dominated with 40-49″ models taking over 50% of the unit volume share in March.
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