Strategic Issues & Expectations for RFID Middleware Market globally

2009 RFID Business Planning Service Track 1:to high adoption rates of RFID solutions as a
Product/Service Offerings Volume 4: RFIDresult of the continued reallocation of
Middleware and Edge, Supply-Side Analysismanufacturing to the region.
  • Growth in EMEA will be derived from
 continued deployment of RFID for supply chain
 DETAILED OVERVIEW:applications, increased adoption of enterprisewide
 RFID Middleware report: Track 1, Volume 4 ofRFID solutions, and the need to evolve and add
the 2009 RFID Business Planning Service. Thisfunctionality to existing solutions.
market intelligence report provides quantitative • Application development will continue to
and qualitative analyses of the global demand foraccount for the majority of RFID middleware
radio frequency identification (RFID) Middleware.revenues over the next 5-10 years.
Data is presented in consumption dollars. RFID • Data management middleware is expected
Middleware revenue shipments and forecasts areto experience a boost in revenues in 2011/2012
segmented by: Regional Market; Vertical Market;as supply chain applications begin to blossom and
and Product Type. ( )companies increasingly begin to analyze and
 leverage the information gathered for strategic
 The global market for RFID Middlewareand tactical purposes.
increased by more than 31% from 2007?2008, a • Device management will become critical as
trend that is expected to continue into 2009the technology becomes more core to the
when the market is expected to grow by 55%.enterprise and value chain, the ‘kinks’ of
In 2008, the total global market for RFIDthe solutions are worked out, and solution
Middleware was valued at $69.4 million and issustainability becomes more critical.
expected to grow at a compounded annual rate 
(CAGR) of 60.5% through 2013. Executive Brief: Competitive Landscape
  • Middleware is rapidly becoming the platform
 Middleware Categoriesupon which the RFID solution is built and evolves.
 • Data Monitoring & ManagementMoving forward, the ability to scale, improve
 • Device Monitoring & Managementfunctionality, and develop new applications will be
 • Applications Developmentthe leading end user requirements for this product
 type.
 Geographic Regions • Fragmentation within this market is
 • Americasdecreasing:
 • EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa) - Highly complex solutions require increased
 • Asia?Pacificskill,experience, and resources.
  - Open platform architectures reducing need for
 Executive Brief: Market Overviewspecialized solutions.
 • The total RFID market grew approximately -Aggressive competition from a diversity of
30% from 2007, despite the recessionentrenched and financially backed powerhouses.
accelerating in Q4. Market growth will be in low • Consolidation will increase, especially as
double digits over the next few years, but it willcompany valuations decrease over the next 6-18
gradually return to 30%+ growth rates within 5months due to the combined impact of slower
years.market growth, thinner margins, and desiccate
 • Middleware/edgeware remained the fastestcapital markets – this could occupy many
growing product segment due to its enhanced rolemanagers’ time and take away from core
and less emphasis placed on hardware because ofmarket development requirements.
rapid commoditization. With most RFID hardware 
performing at the same price/performance levels, Executive Brief: Strategic Issues &
it’s all about making the solution work whileExpectations
maintaining the ability to scale and expand. • The total market for RFID middleware is
 • Middleware appears to be recession proof,expected to grow in excess of 55% in 2009, and
with growth expected across all regions aswill continue to gain momentum throughout 2013.
installations scale, expand, and increase • APAC will continue to represent a larger
functionality. The RFID middleware market isshare of the total global market due to the shift
anticipated to grow in excess of 60% (CAGR)in manufacturing, development of supporting
through 2013.infrastructure (i.e. transportation to support
 • The competitive landscape has becomemanufacturing), ongoing government support, and
less fragmented due to slower-than-expecteda shift toward source tagging.
adoption of RFID, increased complexity, and • Application development will not only remain
open-platforms – all of which have hinderedthe primary middleware product type as RFID
the need for smaller, specialized, flexible vendorscontinues to penetrate current and new markets,
with limited or narrow experience and resources.but it will also be a platform on which suppliers will
 be able to grow with their clients.
 Executive Brief: Estimates and Forecasts • Middleware suppliers may turn to a
 • Americas continue to account for themanaged services model to supplement their
majority of middleware revenues, due to:current revenue streams by providing customers
 -Increased level of complex installations/projects.a number of material benefits, including reduced
 -Continued application development and solutioncapital and management overhead risk and
expansion.persistently up-to-date and higher performing
 • APAC is expected to account for nearlysolutions.
¼ of the total middleware market by 2013 due