Major market players are spending a lot of money on R&D to increase their product lines, which will help the gas insulated switchgear market grow even more. The market’s competitive landscape is highly evolving owing to changing demand from the utility sector. Market participants are also taking a range of strategic initiatives to grow their worldwide footprint, including new product launches, contractual agreements, mergers and acquisitions, increased investments, and collaboration with other organizations. Competitors in the gas insulated switchgear market industry must offer cost-effective products to expand and survive in an increasingly competitive and rising market environment.
Hitachi Energy, GE, Siemens Energy, Schneider Electric, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation Co. Ltd, and Mitsubishi Electric are among a few of the players offering a wide range of gas insulation switchgear. The vendors compete based on cost, product quality, reliability, and aftermarket services. The vendors must provide high-quality systems & solutions to sustain their presence in an intensely competitive market environment. These companies continuously focus on innovating products to provide environmentally sustainable, flexible, economically sound, and efficient customer solutions.
The companies are focusing to expand their brand values in the market through acquisitions and mergers. For instance, in July 2021, Hitachi has acquired of a majority stake of 80.1% in ABB Power Grids worth up to $7.8 billion. This makes Hitachi one of the largest global grid equipment and service providers, drastically expanding its access to the utility segment in all regions.
In such as similar instance, Eaton Corporation has acquired Royal Power Solutions, a U.S.-based manufacturer of high-precision electrical connectivity components used in electric vehicle, energy management, industrial, and mobility markets. The portfolio addition positions Eaton to capitalize on electrification trends across multiple high-growth markets. Apart from inorganic growth strategies, companies are also focusing on developing dual fuel engines due to growing environmental concerns about the use of SF gas. Major players such as GE and Siemens have also launched SF6-free product lines in the marketplace.
Hitachi Energy Hitachi Energy is a major manufacturer of gas-insulated switchgear. It provides a complete range of products for all ratings and applications from 72.5 kV to 1200 kV matching current and future requirements for modern switchgear. The company operates around four global business units and has local offices and research centers spanning 90 countries. With the acquisition of ABB’s Power Grid business, the company formed Hitachi ABB Power Grids, the behemoth joint venture firm which is known as “Hitachi Energy” starting in October 2021.
Siemens AGSiemens AG Energy Sector is a world’s leading supplier of gas-insulated switchgear. Siemens Energy AG is an energy company formed by the spin-off of the former Gas and Power division of Siemens Group and includes a 67% share of Siemens Gamesa. The company has a Switchgear Plant in Berlin, where Siemens Energy designs and builds high-voltage switchgear and systems entirely free of SF6 and other potent greenhouse gases. Siemens has also set-up a manufacturing plant for switchgear outside Germany, in China and India.
In 2021, the company announced that it will deliver digitalized Gas Insulated Switchgear to three Steel manufacturers in Jalna, Maharashtra, namely, Icon Steel, Geetai Steels, and Gajkesari Steels & Alloys. Siemens is installing 11 bays of 132 Kilovolts (KV) Gas Insulated Switchgears (GIS) at each of the three plants.
