Sales by markets
Products from Pfeiffer Vacuum are employed in numerous industry markets. Over 14,000 customers trust in the reliability of our products. Pfeiffer Vacuum divides these customers into the following markets: semiconductor, industry, coating, analytics, and research & development.
As far as the positioning of these markets is concerned, only a limited amount of data is available regarding the size of the entire market and individual market segments. Based on surveys conducted by the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) as well as our own estimates, we expect to take the leading market position in the market segments of industry, coating, analytics, and research & development. In the semiconductor market segment, we should rank second.
Without vacuum technology, a number of innovative processes would be inconceivable, such as in nanotechnology, in producing LEDs or in scientific research. Many of these new technologies create innovative products and production processes. Strong advances in people’s personal and professional communication patterns, for example, are bringing forth ever more new technologies in the semiconductor industry. The rising demand for energy coupled with the need to conserve resources is leading to a steadily increasing amount of new developments in the field of energy supply. These, and further social and industrial trends, are typically producing additional marketing opportunities for Pfeiffer Vacuum. Our strengths include the ability to serve all markets, which makes us largely independent of developments in individual market segments.
Semiconductor
Our vacuum pumps are required in the semiconductor industry for the production of microprocessors and handling systems. Customers in this industry predominantly require a large number of medium-sized and large backing pumps, but also turbopumps, as well as measurement equipment. Chip manufacturers can significantly increase their yield with our decontamination systems. The semiconductor industry itself particularly benefits from the changes in communication technology. New fields of application for vacuum arise, for example, in nanotechnology. Our customers are increasingly located in Asia, and also in the United States, as well as – to a lesser extent – in Europe.
Industry
In this segment, we combine a heterogeneous category of industrial customers who require our vacuum solutions for specific production steps. Industrial trends such as quality improvement, energy supply, and conservation, mobility or environmental protection are currently leading to new fields of application. Examples include metallurgy, tube production, as well as air conditioning and refrigeration technology. A further field of application is solar thermal energy. The absorber tubes needed for this technology are evacuated by using our pumping stations as well as continuously being tested for leaks with our leak detectors. Our customers in the industrial segment primarily come from Europe, as well as from the United States, and increasingly from Asia.
Analytics
Our largest customers in this market are so-called OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) customers, i.e. manufacturers of industrial systems or analytical instruments. Complex analytical devices such as scanning electron microscopes are primarily employed for industrial quality control. This industry is characterized in particular by megatrends such as Life Science, Biotechnology, and Security. Ever smaller and lighter portable analyzers are required in environmental technology, in security technology or for doping analyses. The analytical industry therefore typically requires small and medium-sized turbopumps along with backing pumps and measurement equipment. Our major customers in this market are located in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
Research & Development
Collaboration with research facilities enjoys a long tradition at Pfeiffer Vacuum. Whether in physics or chemistry laboratories at universities, prominent research institutions like the Fraunhofer and Max Planck Institutes or in large multinational research facilities – all of them rely upon the quality and dependability of our mass spectrometers, leak detectors, or vacuum solutions. Working in close cooperation with research facilities in Europe, the United States, and Asia, new applications arise continuously in the fields of energy supply or healthcare technology.
Coating
Without vacuum, many things that are used in daily life could not be produced in the desired quality. The antireflective coatings on eyeglass lenses, the coatings within flat screen manufacturing, the coatings on Blu-ray discs or on high-quality bathroom faucets and fittings as well as the coatings on solar cells or architectural glazing are produced in vacuum chambers, for example. High-quality tools are coated and hardened under vacuum to make them even more durable. One significant megatrend in this segment is the orientation towards regenerative energies, such as solar energy. What is predominantly required in the coating industry are medium-size and large backing pumps and turbopumps as well as measurement equipment and complete vacuum systems. Our customers are located in all industrial nations.