Retail Automation to Revolutionize Shopping

Mom-and-pop stores have been a staple fixture to purchase all types of goods but with the exceeding demand for goods, retail chain outlets and supermarket chains came to rise. However, increasing population gave way to long waiting times at checkout counters causing inconvenience to customers. Automation aims to change that scenario by providing consumers with more power to ease their shopping needs. Retail automation utilizes various electronic devices and latest technologies to optimize processes in the retail sector. Advent of smartphones and Internet-of-Things (IoT) has encouraged retail stores to ditch legacy products for new devices to attract customers.

Emphasis on a Pleasant Customer Experience

Products used to automate processes and services include barcode and Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), autonomous guided vehicles, electronic shelf labels, cameras, Point-of-Sale (POS), and others.

The barcode and RFID segment is likely to witness high demand over the forecast period (from 2018 to 2025) on account of the technology being integral in inventory management. The competitive edge it provides over e-commerce stores can also augment segment demand in the forthcoming years. Increasing demand for sophisticated retail services due to high living standards, particularly in developed regions, can bolster the segment growth.

The cameras segment is expected to exhibit a decent growth rate over the coming years due to security concerns regarding shoplifting and administrative errors. In 2017, Poly, a U.S.-based startup gained capital from private investors to provide novel security measures to identify individual customers. Using machine learning (ML) technology and security cameras, it can record shopping patterns to offer customized experiences.

Market Outlook

The global retail automation market valuation is projected to reach USD 19.17 billion by 2025, as per a report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 8.7 % from 2018 to 2025. Increasing demand for technology to streamline processes in the retail sector is expected to be the key growth driver for the market. Adoption of automation across supermarket chains to lower the waiting time of customers is also likely to augur market growth over the forecast period. Self-serving kiosks, which can present new growth opportunities for the market, may also contribute toward its expansion. Prominent market players include NCR Corporation, Fujitsu Limited, Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated, and ZIH Corp.

In-Depth Research Report On Retail Automation Market:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/retail-automation-market

Beryllium – A High Performance Alloy

Beryllium is an element possessing a higher modulus of elasticity than steel. Several properties of beryllium such as high melting point, heat absorbing capacity, thermal conductivity, and heat & dissipation coupled with its lightweight nature make it a viable element. Alloys derived from beryllium and other metals such as copper, iron, and aluminum have a high demand in medical, industrial, and electronic applications. Other application areas for beryllium and its alloys include aerospace & defense, telecom, energy, and others. Health and safety regulations outlined by governments to prevent Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD) or berylliosis and lung cancer in miners can have a positive impact the product demand.

Aerospace & Defense: A Major Application Segment for Beryllium

The aerospace and defense segment is anticipated to register a decent growth rate of 5.5 % during the forecast period (from 2017 to 2025) on account of beryllium alloys being used in military jets. The U.S. is a major consumer of beryllium, with volumes of the metal being stockpiled by the U.S. Department of Defense for safekeeping and defense applications. IBC Advanced Alloys, a U.S. company uses beryllium-based alloys for creating castings and forgings for clients in the aerospace sector due to its lightweight nature.

The consumer electronics segment possesses the potential to generate significant revenue owing to ongoing trend of component miniaturization. Properties of thermal conductivity and electrical insulation is anticipated to lead to its application in high-definition television sets and connectors of smartphone chargers. Presence of major players in the consumer electronic sector in China and Japan are expected to create high market demand by 2025.

Market Outlook

The global beryllium market is expected to reach a valuation of USD 80.7 million by 2025, according to a report by Grand View Research, Inc. Superior mechanical and physical properties of beryllium are likely to drive market demand during the forecast period. Increasing demand for beryllium and its alloys in sectors such as aerospace, defense, electronics, and metals is anticipated to spur market growth in the years to come. Key market players include Texas Mineral Resources Corp.; Materion Corporation; Ulba Metallurgical Plant; and NGK Metals Corporation.

In-Depth Research Report On Automotive Appearance Chemicals Market:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/beryllium-market

Europium – Most Relevant Commodity in Consumer Electronics

Europium is a rare earth element (REE) with an array of applications in metallurgy, automotive devices, consumer electronics, and optoelectronic devices. Derivatives of europium available in the form of nitrates and oxides are used as doping agents to bond discrete elements. Discovery of REEs in Australia and Japan can bode well for sectors heavily relying on the metal. Methods in recycling consumer electronics are underway in China to extract REEs and reuse them for future production.

Advances in Research to Boost Europium Use

Major end users of europium include anti-counterfeiting, nuclear labs, semiconductors, consumer electronics, lighting, metallurgy, healthcare, automotive, and others. The consumer electronics segment is touted to exhibit a high growth rate due to increasing demand for wearables, smartphones, and 4K television sets. Increased customer budgets and improved connectivity due to advances in networking technologies are expected to significantly influence the segment demand. A group of researchers from the University of Buffalo has managed to successfully control energy levels between europium sulfide and tungsten diselenide when placed on a silicon chip.

The lighting segment is estimated to command a considerable demand of europium owing to increased usage of the element in mercury lamps. Transition to solid state lighting systems such as Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) by consumers coupled with a rise in infrastructural projects are expected to bolster the segment growth. In 2014, a group of researchers from reputed institutes succeeded in bonding europium with gallium nitride (GaN) with the help of oxygen. The combination can be used in powering red LED lights, as well as imaging techniques such as the Rutherford Backscattering.

Market Outlook

The global europium market is projected to reach USD 308.9 million by 2025, according to a report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to experience immense growth from 2014 to 2025 (forecast period) thanks to the growing consumer electronics sector. Increasing demand for europium oxide and nitrates are likely to propel market demand during the forecast period. Applications of the element in material sciences, electrical, and energy sectors can increase the ambit of the market in the forthcoming years. Prominent market players include Canada Rare Earth Corporation, Lynas Corporation, Baotou Group, and China Minmetals.

In-Depth Research Report On Europium Market:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/europium-market