All the growth came from Asia, which saw a first quarter 35% higher than in 2011. Meanwhile, growth in the Americas and EMEA declined by 3.4% and 4.7%, respectively. IMS Research does not believe this trend will continue throughout the year and expects a recovery in the next quarter.
According to Andrés Gallardo, research analyst at IMS Research: “Based on the preliminary results of our annual report, the slowdown in the Americas and EMEA is not explained by a drop in demand, but rather by inventory and stock issues at suppliers. Asia, on the other hand, continues to experience very high growth. Its growth is driven by the transition to smart units, as well as general demand for data center products for new construction.”
Sales in the first quarter of 2012 were 20.5% lower than in the last quarter of 2011. While seasonality in the market must be considered, it doesn't fully explain the size of the decline. "Initially, the figures suggested that the market was very sluggish, especially in Europe, but things seem to be returning to normal, and we can continue to expect double-digit growth rates in the industry for 2012," Gallardo added. 2011 was a record year for the industry, reaching sales of $800 million, with average growth rates of 30% across all regions.
Growth in the rack PDU market is largely driven by demand for smart products, which provide actionable information that can be of great use to data center managers, using it to increase energy efficiency.
