According to Future Market Insights (FMI), the soil field testing equipment market may reach an overall valuation expected to surpass US$ 680.0 million in 2023. Furthermore, the market is expected to record a CAGR of 5.3% between 2023 and 2033. By 2033, the market is estimated to reach a valuation of US$ 1.1 billion.
What are the Significant Factors Fuelling the Soil Field Testing Equipment Market Growth?
- Growth in the market is fueled by the demand for good farm management techniques, industrialization, intensification of agriculture, and quicker, more precise test results.
- By determining the soil fertility, leachability, and flow of nutrients, precision farming increases crop output and profitability and improves the soil’s composition and quality.
- Technology has allowed growers or farmers to divide fields into zones, increasing yields and lowering input costs. As a result, these elements have fueled the expansion of the market for soil field testing equipment worldwide.
- Continuous developments in infrastructure are a prime factor expected to fuel the growth of the global soil field testing equipment market. In all facets of civil engineering, the role of soil is crucial. Since the cornerstone of every structure is the soil, engineers must evaluate and ensure the soil’s properties during the design phase.
- When highways, bases, sub-bases, railway tracks, and dams are constructed, it is important to check the compatibility of the material with soil; this is where soil field testing equipment is used.
- Before constructing a structure, engineers extract, examine, and test a soil sample using soil field testing equipment. Soil field testing is one of the most important functions in civil engineering and geotechnical testing for the design of dams, pavements, and others.
- Soil field testing equipment provides data on soil mechanics and materials common to the soil, including clay, silt, gravel, sand, and rock. Soil field testing equipment is important as testing is a critical parameter in determining soil characteristics during construction.
- Some of the most widely used soil field testing equipment are soil moisture testers, soil penetrometers, soil density, pocket shear vane sets, soil classification tests, soil resistivity testing, soil density volumeters, digital pH meters, and others. The soil field testing equipment market is regulated by various stringent standards set by the National Bureau of Standards and others.
- For Instance, the soil density test is done to meet the requirements of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. These standards need to be followed by the construction companies and ultimately boost the demand for soil field testing equipment and drive the global market.
Comparative Analysis of Adjacent Soil Field Testing Equipment Markets
Stringent Standards Govern the Testing of the Permeability of Granular Soils
Permeability is one of the most important parameters required to be tested for construction projects where water flow through soil is a matter of concern. In addition, various regulatory standards need to be followed by the companies during the construction process, which creates a high demand for soil field testing equipment.
These standards are creating a high demand for water permeability test equipment and soil field testing equipment, which is resulting in the growth of the soil field testing equipment market.
For instance, standards, such as AASHTO T 215 (Standard Method of Test for Permeability of Granular Soils), describe the procedure to determine the permeability of water through granular soils in steady conditions. These are D-422 for the test method for particle size analysis, D-4253 for the maximum index density & unit weight of soils using a vibratory table, D-4254 for the minimum index density & the unit weight of soils and calculations of relative density, and others. These have a significant impact on the demand for soil field testing equipment.
Increase in the Number of Construction Projects
Increasing spending on research and development is a key factor driving the soil field testing equipment market. In addition, rapid urbanization and increasing spending on construction are expected to create potential growth opportunities for the soil field testing equipment market during the forecast period.
Factors such as rising awareness about safety and security are also attracting the construction sector towards soil field testing equipment. Thus, the soil field testing equipment market is expected to expand significantly during the forecast period.
For instance, in October 2018, China’s transport infrastructure reached US$ 327.7 billion, with a 1.4% year-on-year growth. Increasing investments in transport projects are contributing to the overall increase in the infrastructure sector of China. These construction projects are creating a significant demand for soil field testing equipment and significantly fueling the growth of the market.
Category-wise Insights
In terms of end-user industries, the Construction Segment is projected to dominate the soil testing equipment market
Global sales of the construction segment are projected to record a CAGR of 4.8% over the forecast period. Due to the rapid industrialization in countries like India, the construction industry has received substantial Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to improve infrastructure. China’s thriving residential and commercial sectors make it one of the most significant players in the construction industry worldwide.
The allied sectors, particularly those manufacturing soil testing equipment, are likely to expand as global infrastructure investment rises. In addition, the need for soil testing equipment is predicted to rise due to technological development and growing knowledge of the advantages of soil field testing.
According to the type of test, the soil testing equipment market for residual is projected to account for a substantial share of the market
During the forecast period, the residual segment sales are projected to record a CAGR of 5.1%. According to the type of test, the market is divided into physical, residual, and chemical tests.
In China and India, rapid urbanization drives the market for physical tests, which measure soil properties like shear strength, leachability, plasticity, and porosity. In addition, market growth has been driven by consumers’ growing awareness of chemical residues in fresh fruits and vegetables, such as pesticides and fertilizers.
Surging Demand for Automated Testing Equipment
Equipment for high-tech soil field testing is in very high demand from consumers. As a result, vendors are offering completely automated soil field testing equipment to capture the market.
A rise in demand for technologically advanced soil field testing equipment is anticipated throughout the projection period. According to FMI, one of the main strategies vendors use to draw clients is likely to continue providing cutting-edge soil field testing equipment.
Start-up Ecosystem
Several start-ups are operating in the soil field testing equipment market that is working to develop new and innovative technologies to improve soil field testing and analysis.
Here are a Few Examples
- Trace Genomics: Trace Genomics is a start-up that offers soil field testing services that use DNA sequencing technology to provide detailed information about soil health, including microbial diversity and nutrient availability. The company’s soil tests can help farmers and growers optimize crop production by providing insights into soil health and nutrient levels.
- Teralytic: Teralytic is a start-up that has developed a wireless soil sensor that can measure several key soil parameters, including temperature, moisture, and nutrients. The sensor can transmit data to a cloud-based platform, allowing farmers and agronomists to monitor soil health and make data-driven decisions about soil management practices.
- AgriTech Tomorrow: AgriTech Tomorrow is a start-up that has developed handheld soil field testing equipment to provide real-time information about soil nutrients and pH levels. The device can be used in the field and is designed to be easy to use, making it a valuable tool for farmers and growers.
- AgroCares: AgroCares is a start-up that has developed a portable soil testing device that uses Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to measure soil nutrients, organic matter, and pH levels. The device can provide instant results, making it a useful tool for farmers and agronomists who need quick and accurate information about soil health.
As the demand for more accurate and efficient soil field testing technologies continues to expand, more start-ups are expected to enter this space and develop new and innovative solutions to meet the needs of farmers, growers, and other stakeholders in the agriculture industry.
Competitive Landscape: Top Manufacturers of Soil Field Testing Equipment and Their Recent Developments
Some of the Key Players in the Soil Field Testing Equipment Market are:
Humboldt Mfg. Co., Controls S.p.A., GlobalGilson.com, EIE Instruments, FilWEB, ELE International, Aimil Ltd., LaMotte Company, PCTE, W.W. Grainger, Inc., Geocomp Corporation, Cooper Technology, Thomas Scientific, Dexsil
Recent Market Developments
Significant market players across the soil field testing equipment market are focusing on launching advanced equipment made up of innovative materials and using acquisition as a key strategy to expand their operational presence in different parts of the world.
- Agilent Technologies entered into a partnership with SGS in November 2020. This partnership resulted in the introduction of a newly developed GC/TQ method called SGS AXYS Method 16130. This method was approved by the US EPA for the future regulation and detection of dioxins. In soil, agricultural land, and water, the proposed method is expected to greatly reduce dioxin exposure.
- An international leader in soil field testing equipment launched a modernized version of the software in conformance with ASTM and AASTHO standards in September 2019. This product is intended for use in geotechnical laboratories for research and development. Testing soil permeability, consolidation, and triaxiality can be improved with the updated version of soil field testing.
These insights are based on a report on Soil Field Testing Equipment Market by Future Market Insights
